20-12-144 - Collection of fines or costs in default. - Tennessee Statutes

20-12-144. Collection of fines or costs in default.

(a)  If any portion of the court costs or litigation taxes, or both, have not been paid within six (6) months after the adjudication of a civil case, the clerk of the court may retain an agent to collect or institute proceedings to collect the costs or taxes, or both.

(b)  If an agent is used, the clerk of the court shall use the county's normal competitive bidding procedures to select and retain the agent. The clerk of the court shall award the bid with the approval of the judge of the affected court.

(c)  The clerk may retain the same percentage as authorized by § 40-24-105 for collection of criminal costs, taxes and fines to defray the costs of collection in such cases, which may be allocated from each payment made on the amounts owing for such civil costs and taxes. The retained amounts shall be used to pay the agent retained to collect the costs or, in the event an in-house collection procedure is established, shall be treated as other fees of the office.

[Acts 1992, ch. 676, § 1; 1993, ch. 440, § 1.]