Brown v. State

*326ON MOTION FOR REHEARING

MAKAR, J.

Upon defendant’s conviction, the trial court—at the State’s urging—verbally imposed at sentencing a “venire fee” in the amount of $1,000, ostensibly to offset costs associated with empaneling the jury. The court cited no statutory authority for the fee in the final judgment. Defendant timely, but unsuccessfully, challenged the fee saying it was unauthorized. On appeal, we initially affirmed, but defendant’s motion for rehearing makes evident that authority does not exist for imposition of a “venire fee.”

To begin, the phrase “venire fee” appears nowhere in…