Funding - Dispute Resolution Programs - Business & Professions - CA

Section § 470

This law allows a county to receive and use money from both public and private sources to support the activities outlined in this chapter.

A county may accept and disburse funds from any public or private source for the purposes of this chapter.

county funds public source private source

Section § 470.1

This law says that organizations receiving grants can accept money from both public and private sources. Counties have the right to check the financial records of programs and projects that get these funds. Also, programs should try to use public spaces for free or at low cost when they can.

(a) A grant recipient may accept funds from any public or private source for the purposes of this chapter.

(b) A county and its representatives may inspect, examine, and audit the fiscal affairs of the programs and the projects funded under this chapter.

grant recipient funding sources public funds

Section § 470.2

The county can only receive up to half of the total approved budget for the program.

A county’s share of the funding pursuant to this chapter shall not exceed 50 percent of the approved estimated cost of the program.

funding cap county share approved estimated cost

Section § 470.5

Starting January 1, 2006, California counties with dispute resolution programs financed by court filing fees continue to receive the same funding amount per case as they did at the end of 2005. This applies to various case types, including civil and probate, and is contingent on the type of case and its historical fee amount. Furthermore, counties can adjust the amount they collect and distribute, up to a cap of $8 per filing fee. Funds gathered this way must solely support these dispute programs, and financial records need to be publicly accessible. New or revised collections can take effect at the start or midpoint of the year, with changes submitted to the Administrative Office of the Courts 15 days in advance.

(a) On and after January 1, 2006, as described in Section 68085.1 of the Government Code, the Administrative Office of the Courts shall make monthly distributions from superior court filing fees for the support of dispute resolution programs under this chapter in each county that has acted to establish a program. The amount distributed in each county shall be equal to the following:

(1) From each first paper filing fee collected by the court as provided under Section 70611 or 70612, subdivision (a) of Section 70613, subdivision (a) of Section 70614, or Section 70670 of the Government Code, and each first paper or petition filing fee collected by the court in a probate matter as provided under Section 70650, 70651, 70652, 70653, or 70655 of the Government Code, the same amount as was required to be collected for the support of dispute resolution programs in that county as of December 31, 2005, when a fee was collected for the filing of a first paper in a civil action under Section 26820.4 of the Government Code.

(2) From each first paper filing fee in a limited civil case collected by the court as provided under subdivision (b) of Section 70613 or subdivision (b) of Section 70614 of the Government Code, and each first paper or petition filing fee collected by the court in a probate matter as provided under Section 70654, 70656, or 70658 of the Government Code, the same amount as was required to be collected for the support of dispute resolution programs in that county as of December 31, 2005, when a fee was collected for the filing of a first paper in a civil action under Section 72055 of the Government Code where the amount demanded, excluding attorney’s fees and costs, was ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or less.

(b) Distributions under this section shall be used only for the support of dispute resolution programs authorized by this chapter. The county shall deposit the amounts distributed under this section in an account created and maintained for this purpose by the county. Records of these distributions shall be available for inspection by the public upon request.

(c) After January 1, 2006, a county that does not already have a distribution from superior court filing fees under this section and that establishes a dispute resolution program authorized by this chapter may approve a distribution under this section. A county that already has a distribution under this section may change the amount of the distribution. The total amount to be distributed for the support of dispute resolution programs under this section may not exceed eight dollars ($8) per filing fee.

(d) The county may make changes under subdivision (c) to be effective January 1 or July 1 of any year, on and after January 1, 2006. The county shall provide the Administrative Office of the Courts with a copy of the action of the board of supervisors that establishes the change at least 15 days before the date that the change goes into effect.

dispute resolution programs superior court filing fees probate matter filing fees

Section § 470.6

A county in California can save and use money collected from specific dispute resolution program fees and previous distribution rules, even after the laws changed in 2006.

A county may carry over moneys received from distributions under Section 470.5 and from the fees for the support of dispute resolution programs authorized by this chapter that were added to fees for filing a first paper in a civil action in superior court under the laws in effect before January 1, 2006.

county funds dispute resolution programs fee support