Pima County board raises court automation fee to $100 to support technology

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted on April 7 to increase the local court automation and technology fee on certain civil, family and probate filings from $40 to $100, a move officials said is necessary to sustain ongoing court technology and remote operations.

Superior Court Administrator Ron Overhalt told the board the fee, established in 2003, has not been adjusted despite rising technology costs and that the proposed increase would support consolidated technology services that run 24/7. "The fee was set at $40 in 2003, has not been adjusted since then," Overhalt said during the hearing.

The county’s clerk of the court, James Jakamino, and court staff described how the fee will be split and administered. The proposal calls for an 85/15 split between the superior court and clerk of court and includes automatic waivers for people receiving certain public benefits. Overhalt said roughly 10% of affected filings are currently waived under federal-poverty-based rules.

Supervisors pressed staff on waiver eligibility and whether the county has flexibility to expand eligibility beyond the statutory 150% of the federal poverty level. Overhalt said federal rules require certain automatic waivers but that judges retain discretion to waive fees in individual cases and that the county will explore "clarifying the application process to make it minimally bureaucratic."

Chair Allen and other supervisors also requested periodic reporting on the fund’s use and on whether the split and fee should be adjusted in future years. The board closed the public hearing and approved ordinance 2026-4 adopting the fee increase; the measure passed by recorded vote (motion passed, recorded as 4–1).

Next steps: county staff will implement the revised fee schedule and continue to accept requests for waivers; supervisors asked to be notified if projections allow future reductions or changes to waiver eligibility.