(A) Within 12 months after the release from city jail, county jail or other jail facility of a sentenced inmate or a pretrial detainee whose prosecution resulted in conviction, an attorney for the city may file a civil action to seek reimbursement from that person for maintenance and support of that person while he or she was confined to the jail, for costs charged to the city by a county for housing that person in a county jail, or for costs charged to the city by any other entity for housing that person in any other jail facility, and for any other expense for which the city may be reimbursed under § 156.001 of this chapter, as provided in this section and §§ 156.006 through 156.008 of this chapter. The city may also commence an action for reimbursement in small claims court.
(B) A civil action brought under this subchapter shall be instituted in the name of the city and shall state the following, as applicable:
(1) In the case of an inmate sentenced to a city jail, county, jail or other jail facility, the date and place of sentence, the length of time set forth in the sentence, the length of time actually served and the amount or amounts due to the city pursuant to § 156.001 of this chapter; and
(2) In the case of a person imprisoned as a pretrial detainee on a charge or charges that resulted in conviction, the length of pretrial detention and the amount or amounts due to the city pursuant to § 156.001 of this chapter.
(C) Before entering any order on behalf of the city against the defendant, the court shall take into consideration any legal obligation of the defendant to support a spouse, minor children or other dependents and any moral obligation to support dependents to whom the defendant is providing or has in fact provided support.
(D) The court may enter a money judgment against the defendant and may order that the defendant’s property is liable for reimbursement for maintenance and support of the defendant as an inmate and other expenses reimbursable under § 156.001 of this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 25-205) (Ord. 1266, passed 5-15-2006)