Sec. 51.941. ADDITIONAL FILING FEE IN APPELLATE COURTS FOR BASIC CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FOR INDIGENTS. (a) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law, the clerk of the supreme court and courts of appeals shall collect a $25 fee on the filing of any civil action or proceeding requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on the filing of any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention, interpleader, or third-party action requiring a filing fee.
(b) Court fees under this section shall be collected in the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs in the case.
(c) The clerk shall send the fees collected under this section to the comptroller not later than the last day of the month following each calendar quarter.
(d) The comptroller shall deposit the fees received under this section to the credit of the basic civil legal services account of the judicial fund for use in programs approved by the supreme court that provide basic civil legal services to the indigent.
(e) In this section, "indigent" means an individual who earns not more than 125 percent of the income standard established by applicable federal poverty guidelines.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 699, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Renumbered from Sec. 51.901 by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 19.01(28), eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 209, Sec. 73(a), eff. Jan. 1, 2004.