Clerk and judge report budget wins and court fee changes affecting Richland County

Circuit and clerk officials told the Public Safety & Judiciary committee on March 6 that the county’s court system is making progress clearing case backlogs and that recent state-level action should increase county support for court services.

A circuit judge said the court continues to manage calendars and that treatment court graduations and other programs remain priorities. The judge asked county board members to attend a courthouse security and facilities meeting on March 23 to discuss needed renovations, including adding Zoom capability to the small courtroom.

The clerk (referred to in the meeting by colleagues as Stacy) said 2025 ended with the office under budget, crediting both lower appointment of high-fee attorneys and a legislative push by clerks statewide that increased state support payments in the recent budget bill. “We got the attention of the legislature and the governor; we got more money in the budget bill,” she said. She also described a separate “court fees” bill recently signed, which will require counties to post written fee-waiver notices at courthouse doors; the clerk said indigent defendants will still be able to seek the existing waiver through the same means test.

Stacy described county procedures to manage court-appointed attorney bills and defendant payment plans, including wage-assignment orders and tailored collection steps when defendants default. She cautioned that the full impact of the new state measures on county revenue and expenses is uncertain because some changes take effect mid-year.

Committee members discussed space and security needs at the courthouse, the need for Zoom in the second courtroom, and the coordination required with jail planning and other facility renovations. No formal committee action was taken at the meeting; staff invited board members to the March 23 meeting on courthouse security and facilities for further planning.