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 for any papers related to civil or criminal actions initiated outside the state. The collected fees will be directed to the Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund. Additionally, the bill stipulates that these fees may be waived if the court determines that paying the fee would impose a substantial hardship on the individual requesting the service.
Furthermore, the bill exempts certain entities, including the district attorney, law enforcement, and grand juries, from having to pay these service fees. The act is set to take effect on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor. The language of the bill includes new provisions for the service of process fees while maintaining existing legal frameworks.