The bill establishes a service of process fee specifically for Marshall County, Alabama, to be charged for the service of legal documents by the sheriff in various courts, including the District Court, Circuit Court, Family Court, and Juvenile Court. The fee is set at twenty-five dollars ($25) for each document requiring personal service and another twenty-five dollars ($25) for documents related to civil or criminal actions initiated outside the state. The collected fees will be directed to the Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund, and the court clerk or their designee will be responsible for collecting and distributing these fees.
Additionally, the bill includes provisions to exempt certain parties from the fee, such as the district attorney, law enforcement, and grand juries. It also allows for the waiver of the fee if the court determines that paying it would cause substantial hardship, provided that a verified statement is submitted by the requesting party. The act will take effect on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor.