Committee approves updated magistrate-court fee schedule after debate over eviction filing fee

Representative Jordan told the committee H 4813 responds to long-outdated magistrate-court fees and costs and was drafted at the chief justice’s request. “This legislation increases fees and cost in multiple places,” Jordan said, noting many fees were last set in 2000 or as early as 1988.

The subcommittee initially raised the filing fee for landlord ejectment actions to $75 (from $20 under current law); Jordan said he would immediately move to amend that item back to a $40 fee, more consistent with the otherwise incremental increases in the bill. Members also discussed a proposed technical change raising minor certification fees from $2 to $5; one member objected to a penny‑wise increase if card‑processing fees make small increases inequitable.

The committee adopted the subcommittee report and approved Jordan’s amendment to limit the eviction‑action fee increase. The clerk conducted a roll call and the committee recorded H 4813 as amended receiving a favorable report (announced tally: 20 in favor, 0 opposed; five members did not vote, including one written recusal).

Representative Robbins urged that fee increases be tied to their intended use, proposing an amendment to dedicate any new fee revenue to pay for lawyer‑magistrate salaries; the committee did not adopt such earmarking during the session but members noted fees are generally deposited at the county level under current statutory language.

The committee’s action advances the fee schedule to the next legislative steps; lawmakers said some items (specific small fees and rounding) could be further refined in future drafting.