59-2981. Costs; payment by residence county, when. In each proceeding the court shall allow and order paid to any individual or treatment facility as part of the costs thereof a reasonable fee and expenses for any professional services ordered performed by the court pursuant to this act other than those performed by any individual or hospital under the jurisdiction of the secretary for aging and disability services, and including the fee of counsel for the patient when counsel is appointed by the court and the costs of the county or district attorney incurred in cases involving change of venue. Other costs and fees shall be allowed and paid as are allowed by law for similar services in other cases. The costs shall be taxed to the estate of the patient, to those bound by law to support such patient or to the county of the residence of the patient as the court having jurisdiction shall direct, except that if a proposed patient is found not to be a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment under this act, the costs shall not be assessed against such patient's estate but may at the discretion of the court be assessed against the petitioner or may be paid from the general fund of the county of the residence of the proposed patient. Any district court receiving a statement of costs from another district court shall forthwith approve the same for payment out of the general fund of its county except that it may refuse to approve the same for payment only on the ground that the patient is not a resident of that county. In such case it shall transmit the statement of costs to the secretary for aging and disability services who shall determine the question of residence and certify the secretary's findings to each district court. Whenever a district court has sent a statement of costs to the district court of another county and such costs have not been paid within 90 days after the statement was sent, the district court that sent the statement may transmit such statement of costs to the secretary for determination and certification as provided above. If the claim for costs is not paid within 30 days after such certification, an action may be maintained thereon by the claimant county in the district court of the claimant county against the debtor county. The findings made by the secretary for aging and disability services as to the residence of the patient shall be applicable only to the assessment of costs. Any county of residence which pays from its general fund court costs to the district court of another county may recover the same in any court of competent jurisdiction from the estate of the patient or from those bound by law to support such patient, unless the court shall find that the proceedings in which such costs were incurred were instituted without probable cause and not in good faith.

History: L. 1996, ch. 167, § 37; L. 2014, ch. 115, § 213; July 1.