Court Cost Calculation

Pursuant to Michigan Compiled Law 769.1k, the following information is provided by the 10th District Court to explain the calculation utilized in determining the amount assessed as a “court cost” on misdemeanor cases.

If a defendant enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or if the court determines after a hearing or trial that a defendant is guilty, the court may impose any cost reasonably related to the actual costs incurred by the court. Costs can be based on salaries and benefits for court personnel, goods and services necessary for the operation of the court, or necessary expenses for the operation and maintenance of court buildings and facilities.

The 10th District Court’s calculation is based on the formula utilized by the State Court Administrative Office to determine the average cost of a misdemeanor case in Calhoun County. The formula considers the annual court operational costs for criminal cases in Calhoun County and the number of annual criminal cases where a defendant was convicted.
 
The average operational cost for the 10th District Court is $3,504,467.77. The annual number of criminal cases where a defendant was convicted is 6,627. The average court cost for a 10th District Court misdemeanor case is $355.48. The 10th District Court is assessing a maximum court cost of $355.00 for misdemeanor cases, in addition to any other statutorily mandated or permitted fines, costs, fees, restitution or reimbursement amounts.