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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77242</law_id><section_number>53.1-127.5</section_number><catch_line>Collection of fees owed; contract for collection; duties of Department of Taxation</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="53.1">Prisons and Other Methods of Correction</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Local Correctional Facilities</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="6">Duties of Sheriffs</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The sheriff or jail superintendent may (i) <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with private attorneys or private collection agencies, (ii) enter into an agreement with a local governing body, or (iii) enter into an agreement with the county or city treasurer, upon such terms and conditions as may be established by guidelines promulgated by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, to collect fees imposed under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Payment of costs associated with prisoners' keep" href="/53.1-131.3/">53.1-131.3</a>. As part of such <span class="dictionary">contract</span>, private attorneys or collection agencies shall be given access to the social security number of the person who owes the fees in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to assist in the collection effort. Any such private attorney or collection agency shall be subject to the penalties and provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Identity theft; penalty; restitution; victim assistance" href="/18.2-186.3/">18.2-186.3</a>.
		The fees of any private attorney or collection agency shall be paid on a contingency fee basis out of the proceeds of the amounts collected. However, in no event shall such attorney or collection agency receive a fee for amounts collected by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Taxation under the Setoff Debt Collection Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Contingent effective date) Definitions" href="/58.1-520/">58.1-520</a> et seq.). A local treasurer undertaking collection pursuant to an agreement with the sheriff or jail superintendent may collect the administrative fee authorized by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Payment of administrative costs, etc" href="/58.1-3958/">58.1-3958</a>.</p></section></text><history>2012, c. 829.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
