Vote: continued

Item Text

52. ADULT ADOPTION FEE Pursuant to A.R.S. §11-251.08, set a public hearing for November 5, 2014 to solicit comments and consider the adoption of ADULT ADOPTION FEE. Upon Board approval, this item will become effective November 5, 2014. Several years ago adult adoption case processing was transferred from Juvenile Court to Probate and Mental Health Court. When this change in responsibility occurred, the Probate and Mental Health Court continued the practice of assessing a $150 filing fee and $150 investigation fee. This fee was assessed in order to recoup expenses billed by outside contractor services that performed the adult adoption case processing. Since statutory authority for these assessments could not be identified, the Clerk of Court discontinued accepting these fees for adult adoption cases on November 1, 2013. Probate and Mental Health Court is now seeking to have the Board of Supervisors approve the assessment of a $140 filing fee and a $140 investigation fee ($280 total per case) for adult adoption cases. The assessment will recoup the expense of providing the service for which the fee is assessed. As noted in table below, as part of processing these case types, there is a substantial amount of staff time dedicated to conducting the investigation and drafting the report mandated by A.R.S. § 14-8101(D). From FY2010 through FY2013, there was an average of 30 adult adoption cases filed with the Court annually. It is projected that this trend will continue over the next several years. These fees, therefore, will generate approximately $8,400 in revenue. Monies collected will offset expenses for personal services costs. This fee does not require approval from the Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office of Courts. The assessment of the fee would commence following BOS approval of the fee. The Court is seeking for the fee to be deposited into the Superior Court Special Revenue Fund 259 and used to offset the costs associated with Adult Adoptions. The proposed fee is intended to recover (but not exceed) the full cost of the service. Parties may request a waiver or deferral of fees using the established process. (C-80-15-002-2-00)

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Vote: continued

Item Text

10. ADULT ADOPTION FEE Pursuant to A.R.S. §11-251.08, convene the scheduled public hearing, to solicit comments and consider the adoption of ADULT Adoption Fee. Upon Board approval, this item will become effective November 5, 2014. Several years ago adult adoption case processing was transferred from Juvenile Court to Probate and Mental Health Court. When this change in responsibility occurred, the Probate and Mental Health Court continued the practice of assessing a $150 filing fee and $150 investigation fee. This fee was assessed in order to recoup expenses billed by outside contractor services that performed the adult adoption case processing. Since statutory authority for these assessments could not be identified, the Clerk of Court discontinued accepting these fees for adult adoption cases on November 1, 2013. Probate and Mental Health Court is now seeking to have the Board of Supervisors approve the assessment of a $140 filing fee and a $140 investigation fee ($280 total per case) for adult adoption cases. The assessment will recoup the expense of providing the service for which the fee is assessed. As noted in table below, as part of processing these case types, there is a substantial amount of staff time dedicated to conducting the investigation and drafting the report mandated by A.R.S. § 14-8101(D). From FY2010 through FY2013, there was an average of 30 adult adoption cases filed with the Court annually. It is projected that this trend will continue over the next several years. These fees, therefore, will generate approximately $8,400 in revenue. Monies collected will offset expenses for personal services costs. This fee does not require approval from the Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office of Courts. The assessment of the fee would commence following BOS approval of the fee. The Court is seeking for the fee to be deposited into a special revenue fund that will be determined by the Judicial Branch Finance Department. The proposed fee is intended to recover (but not exceed) the full cost of the service. Parties may request a waiver or deferral of fees using the established process. (C-80-15-002-2-00)

Attachments (1)