In Covington County, in each civil or quasi-civil action at law, suit in equity, criminal, or quasi-criminal case or any other proceeding filed in, arising in, or brought by appeal, certiorari, or otherwise in the circuit court, inferior court, or other court in the county, including municipal courts, there shall be taxed as part of the costs the sum of three dollars ($3). The fees taxed under this section shall be collected as other costs in such cases are collected; and when collected by the clerk or other collecting officers of such courts, including the register of the circuit court, shall be paid to the treasurer or depository as herein set forth. The sums so paid over to the county treasury or depository shall be maintained in a separate account in the county treasury or depository designated as the county law library fund. The funds shall be expended by the judges of the circuit court of the county for establishing, maintaining, equipping, and operating a law library within the county. The judges shall authorize the county treasurer to draw warrants on the county treasury or depository in making expenditures for the purposes contemplated in this section and shall indicate on the warrants the fund against which the warrants are drawn. The items of costs referred to above shall be designated as law library fees; and when any part of the costs in a case has been paid, the amount necessary for the payment of the fee shall be applied thereto before applying any of the amount paid as costs to any other item of costs. On or before the tenth day of each month, the clerks or other collecting officers of the courts, including the register of the circuit court, shall pay over to the county treasurer or depository all amounts collected as law library fees prior to the first day of the month. The management of the law library is rested in the judges of the circuit court in the county. All books or other property purchased with the funds produced by this section shall be the property of the county.
Last modified: May 3, 2021