ASSEMBLY, No. 1854

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MAY 2, 1996

 

 

By Assemblyman KELLY

 

 

An Act concerning certain fees of sheriffs and other officers, amending N.J.S.22A:4-8 and supplementing Title 22A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. N.J.S.22A:4-8 is amended to read as follows:

    22A:4-8. For the services hereinafter enumerated sheriffs and other officers shall receive the following fees:

    In addition to the mileage allowed by law, for serving every summons and complaint, attachment or any mesne process issuing out of the Superior Court, the sheriff or other officer serving such process shall, for the first defendant or party on whom such process is served, be allowed [$12.00] $22.00 and, for service on the second defendant named therein, [$10.00] $20.00, and for serving such process on any other defendant or defendants named therein, [$6.00] $16.00 each, and no more. If a man and his wife be named in such process they shall be considered as one defendant, except where they are living separate and apart.

    Serving summons and complaint in matrimonial actions, in addition to mileage, [$12.00] $22.00.

    Serving capias ad respondendum, capias ad satisfaciendum, warrant of commitment, writ of ne exeat, in addition to mileage, [$35.00] $48.00.

    Serving order to summon juries and return, [$1.75] $8.00.

    Serving every execution against goods or lands and making an inventory and return, in addition to mileage, [$35.00] $48.00.

    For returning every writ, [$1.00] $2.00.

    Executing every writ of possession and return, in addition to mileage, [$35.00] $48.00.

    Executing every writ of attachment, sequestration or replevin issuing out of any of the courts, in addition to mileage, [$35.00] $48.00.

    For serving each out-of-State paper, in addition to the mileage allowed by law, [$15.00] $25.00 for the first defendant on whom such paper is served, [$10.00] $20.00 for service on the second defendant named therein, and [$6.00] $16.00 for serving such paper on any other defendant or defendants named therein. If a man and wife be named in such paper, they shall be considered as one defendant, except where they are living separate and apart.

    For serving or executing any process or papers where mileage is allowed by law, the officer shall receive mileage actually traveled to and from the courthouse, at the rate per mile of $0.16.

    The sheriff shall be entitled to retain out of all moneys collected or received by him on a forfeited recognizance, whether before or after execution, or from amercements, or from fines and costs on conviction, on indictment or otherwise, whether such moneys are payable to the State or to the county treasurer of the county wherein conviction was had, 5%.

    For transporting each offender to the State Prison, per mile, but not less than $3.00 for each offender, to be certified by the keeper of the prison and the certificate to be delivered to the county treasurer of the county where the conviction was had, $0.23.

 

EXECUTION SALES

 

    When a sale is made by virtue of an execution the sheriff shall be entitled to charge the following fees: On all sums not exceeding $5,000.00, [4%]6% exceeding $5,000.00 on such excess, [2 1/2%]4%; the minimum fee to be charged for a sale by virtue of an execution, [$20.00] $50.00.

    On an execution against wages, commissions and salaries, the sheriff shall charge the same percentage fees on all sums collected as those percentage fees applicable in cases wherein an execution sale is consummated.

    When the execution is settled without actual sale and such settlement is made manifest to the officer, the officer shall receive 1/2 of the amount of percentage allowed herein in case of sale.

    Making statement of execution, sales and execution fees, [$5.00] $10.00.

    Advertising the property for sale, provided the sheriff or deputy sheriff attend in pursuance of the advertisement, [$10.00] $20.00.

    Posting property for sale, [$7.00] $20.00.

    For the crier of the vendue, when the sheriff proceeds to sell, for every day he shall be actually employed in such sale, [$3.00] $5.00.

    Every adjournment of a sale, but no more than one adjournment shall be allowed, and if the sheriff shall have several executions against a defendant, he shall only be allowed for advertising, attending and adjourning, as if he had but one execution, [$20.00] $28.00.

    Drawing and making a deed to a purchaser of real property, [$35.00] $75.00.

    Drawing and making a bill of sale to the purchaser of personal property when such bill of sale is required or demanded, [$15.00] $20.00.

    When more than one execution shall be issued out of the Superior Court upon any judgment, each sheriff to whom such execution shall be directed and delivered shall be entitled to collect and receive from the defendant named in such execution the fees allowed by law for making a levy and return and statement thereon, or for such other services as may be actually performed by him, and the sheriff who shall collect the amount named in said execution or any part thereof, shall be entitled to the legal percentage upon whatever amount may be so collected by him, but in case any such judgment shall be settled between the parties and the amount due thereon shall not be collected by either sheriff, then the percentage on the amount collected which would be due the sheriff thereon in case only one execution had been issued shall be equally divided among the several sheriffs in whose hands an execution in the same cause may have been placed.

    The sheriff shall file his taxed bill of costs with the clerk of the court out of which execution issued, within such time as the court shall direct by general rule or special order, or, in default thereof, he shall not be entitled to any costs. If any sheriff shall charge in such bill of costs for services not done, or allowed by law, or shall take any greater fee or reward for any services by him done than is or shall be allowed by law, he shall be liable for the damages sustained by the party aggrieved including a penalty of $30.00, to be recovered in a summary manner, in the action or proceeding wherein the execution was issued or otherwise.

(cf: P.L.1991, c.91, s.275)

 

    2. (New section) The county treasurer shall be responsible for all fees received by or deposited with the county sheriff pursuant to N.J.S.22A:4-8. The county sheriff shall account to the county treasurer for all these fees. The county treasurer shall deposit into a trust fund dedicated to the sheriff's office $2.00 of each fee over the amount of $3.00 received for a service enumerated in N.J.S.22A:4-8. Such sums shall be deposited within 10 days of receipt by the county treasurer. Monies received by the county sheriffs pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be used to upgrade and modernize the services provided by their offices. As used in this section, "to upgrade and modernize the services" shall not include the costs associated with employing personnel and shall not include offset of existing salary or new positions. These monies shall not be used for budgetary reduction by the counties.


    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill increases certain fees paid to sheriffs and other officers for enumerated services.

    In addition this bill provides that $2.00 of each fee collected over the amount of $3.00 for services enumerated in N.J.S.22A:4-8 shall be remitted to the county sheriffs to be used to upgrade and modernize the services provided by their offices. Currently, monies received for the enumerated services go to the county treasury. The bill provides that the remittance be made within ten days of receipt by the county treasurer. This language is patterned after language contained in section 7 of P.L.1985, c.422 (C.22A:4-17.1) pertaining to county clerks or registers of deeds and mortgages. This bill specifies that "to upgrade and modernize the services" provided by the sheriff's office shall not include the costs associated with employing personnel.

 

 

 

Increases fees for certain sheriffs' services and establishes fund to upgrade and modernize services of sheriffs' offices.