2017 Cost Waiver Reports Available

The Administrative Office of the Courts recently submitted two reports on criminal cost waivers to the General Assembly. The first report covers court cost waivers under G.S. 7A-304(a). The other is about costs remitted upon remand from superior court to district court under G.S. 15A-1431(h). Both reports sort waivers by district or county and by individual judge. Let’s look first at the criminal cost waiver report, available here. The AOC is required by law to make the report to the General Assembly annually. G.S. 7A-350. Technically, it is required to include only just cause waivers of court costs under G.S. 7A-304(a). I sometimes refer to those costs as true court costs, to distinguish them from the various other monetary obligations that might apply in any case, like fines, restitution, and attorney fees. True court costs are those spelled out in G.S. 7A-304(a) or incorporated by reference therein. They are: Service of process ($5) Facilities ($12 district court; $30 superior court) Court Information Technology Fund ($4) Law enforcement officer retirement and insurance ($6.25) Sheriffs’ supplemental pension ($1.25) Criminal Justice Standards Commission ($2) General Court of Justice support ($147.50 district court; $154.50 superior court; both to be assessed on a person convicted of a felony in superior court if he or she made a first appearance in district court) General Court of Justice support for Chapter 20 offenses ($10) Additional support of the General Court of Justice for Chapter 20 offenses resulting in an improper equipment conviction ($50) Pretrial release services ($15) General [...]