Sec. 22.2021. APPELLATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. (a) The commissioners court of each county in the First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals District shall establish an appellate judicial system to:

(1) assist the courts of appeals for the county in the processing of appeals filed from the county court, county courts at law, probate courts, and district courts; and

(2) defray costs and expenses incurred for the operation of the courts of appeals in this state for which the county is required by law to reimburse other counties in the court of appeals district.

(b) To fund the system, the commissioners court shall set a court costs fee of not more than $5 for each civil suit filed in county court, county court at law, probate court, or district court in the county.

(c) The court costs fee does not apply to a suit filed by the county or to a suit for delinquent taxes.

(d) The court costs fee shall be taxed, collected, and paid as other court costs in a suit. The clerk of the court shall collect the court costs fee set under this section and pay it to the county officer who performs the county treasurer's functions. That officer shall deposit the fee in a separate appellate justice system fund. The commissioners court shall administer the fund to maintain the system in cooperation with the chief justice of the courts of appeals. The fund may not be used for any other purpose.

(e) The commissioners court shall annually order the funds collected under this section to be forwarded to the court of appeals for expenditure by the courts of appeals for the court of appeals district's judicial system.

(f) The commissioners court has the authority necessary to assist the courts of appeals in the administration of the system, including the authority to contract with any private nonprofit corporation, public corporation, or a combination of those corporations.

(g) The chief justice of the courts of appeals, with the approval and consent of the commissioners court, shall manage the fund.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 8.01(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989.