Sec. 22.2061. APPELLATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. (a) The commissioners court of each county in the Fifth Court of Appeals District, by order entered in its minutes, shall establish an appellate judicial system to:

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

(2) defray costs and expenses incurred by the county under Section 22.206.

(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 establish and maintain a fund system to assist the court of appeals in the district. The fund may not be used for any other purpose.

(e) The commissioners court has the authority necessary to assist the court of appeals in the administration of the system and the system's judicial and staff education program, including the authority to contract with any private nonprofit corporation, public corporation, or a combination of those corporations.

(f) The commissioners court shall vest management of the system in the chief justice of the court of appeals in the district.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 8.02(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989.