SB 32, sponsored by Senator Frosh (by request of Maryland Judicial Conference) proposes several surcharges on select court costs to fund the Real Property Records Improvement Fund.

(B) THE STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, AS PART OF THE ADMINISTRATOR’S DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF FEES TO BE CHARGED BY THE CLERK OF THE COURT OF APPEALS AND THE CLERK OF THE COURT OF SPECIAL APPEALS, SHALL ASSESS A SURCHARGE THAT SHALL BE:
(1) $11 PER CASE

and

(E) (1) IN ADDITION TO THE SURCHARGE ASSESSED UNDER  SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION, THE STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, AS PART OF THE ADMINISTRATOR’S DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF COURT COSTS AND CHARGES IN CIVIL CASES, SHALL ASSESS A SURCHARGE THAT:
(I) 1. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN ITEM 2 OF THIS ITEM, SHALL BE $30 PER CASE; AND
2. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, SHALL BE $6 TO REOPEN ANY CIVIL CASE

Additionally:

(4) IN ADDITION TO THE SURCHARGE ASSESSED UNDER PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THE DISTRICT COURT SHALL ASSESS A SURCHARGE THAT:
(I) MAY NOT BE MORE THAN:
1. $3 PER SUMMARY EJECTMENT CASE; AND
2. $8 PER CASE FOR ALL OTHER CIVIL CASES

These additional surcharges will go to the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund and will pay:

• The operating expenses of land records offices of the clerks of the circuit courts
• To repair, replace, improve, modernize, and update office equipment and equipment related services in the above office for each county
• For major information technology development projects of the Judiciary Department

All of the above are as the Administrator considers appropriate.

Send email to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

(Click the send email icon now to pre-populate all the committee members’ email addresses in your default email client.)

Print PDF