Public safety committee approves increase in court fees

By Shelby R. Farrell

Reporter

BOONE COUNTY – For the first time in over a decade, Boone County residents might have a higher price to pay when facing time in court.

The county’s Public Safety Committee approved increases to court fees for civil cases, as wells as “criminal, local ordinance, county ordinance, traffic and conservation cases,” at the Dec. 7 meeting. The increase is supposed to help supplement the costs of Court Security Systems, according to Resolution 15-24.

Committee member Sherry Branson said the fees for civil, felony, misdemeanor and DUI cases raised from $15 to $25, which is a 66 percent increase. For cases that are drawn out and require multiple court appearances, the fee will only need to be paid one time.

However, Branson said the last time Boone County changed the cost of appearing in court was in the mid-90s, and the new price should mirror court costs from surrounding areas.

Residents who attend court over traffic, ordinance and conservation cases could have to pay an additional $8 after other fees and fines as well.

“There’s so many fees on a traffic ticket as it is that it’s something that we’re really going to monitor and see if we can increase it,” Sheriff Dave Ernest said at the meeting. “As of this time, we are just going to go with the obvious offenses and civil cases and see where they take us, but we’ll re-evaluate it in a year.”

The Boone County Board of Trustees will vote on the fee increases at the Dec. 16 board meeting.