NC H1825

Increases the facilities fee in district court criminal cases from $12.00 to $30.00 per case, while maintaining the existing $30.00 fee in superior court.

Applies to all criminal cases where a defendant is convicted, pleads guilty or nolo contendere, or when costs are assessed against a prosecuting witness.

Requires collected fees to be remitted to the county or municipality where judgment is rendered and used exclusively for courtroom facilities, judicial personnel space, jury facilities, clerk office space, jail facilities, juror parking, and law libraries.

Permits counties or municipalities to use excess funds to retire courthouse construction debt, reimburse construction costs incurred within two years before or after district court establishment, or supplement General Court of Justice operations.

Becomes effective July 1, 2010, with a transitional provision allowing defendants in certain misdemeanor and infraction cases to pay the lower fee if the citation was issued before the effective date.