BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 2485
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 19, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     AB 2485 (Feuer) - As Amended:  May 13, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              JudiciaryVote:7-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill increases, from $250 to $500, the filing fee to appear  
          in superior court as counsel pro hac vice-i.e. a non-California  
          lawyer seeking the privilege of making limited appearances in  
          California court without a license to practice in this state.  
          The bill requires that the resulting fee revenue be deposited in  
          the Trial Court Trust Fund.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Increased annual revenue of about $500,000 to the Trial Court  
          Trust Fund.  (Revenue from the existing $250 fee is deposited  
          into the Immediate and Critical Needs Account of the State Court  
          Facilities Construction Fund.)

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  . In support of the bill the author states:  
          "Non-California lawyers are entitled to temporarily practice law  
          in California by obtaining court approval to file an appearance  
          in a matter without having satisfied the terms for admission to  
          the State Bar required of California residents. For this  
          privilege, these out-of-state lawyers pay a modest fee of $250.  
          This bill would increase that fee in order to provide critical  
          financial support of the court system in which they are allowed  
          to practice." Other states have recently increased such fees by  
          a comparable amount. This bill is jointly sponsored by  
          plaintiffs' and defense lawyers.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081