When prorating court costs and fees, which statement is true about distribution?

• A. The costs owed to the State must be paid first.
• B. Collected money is prorated among all costs.
• C. All funds go to the city’s treasury.
• D. The State receives nothing.

Answer: (B)

Prorating court costs and fees means spreading whatever money is collected across all the different cost items in proportion to their amounts. Instead of paying one fee in full first or sending all funds to a single entity, each cost receives a share that reflects its size relative to the total.

That’s why the statement that collected money is prorated among all costs is the best choice. It ensures fairness when funds are limited and keeps the distribution aligned with how much each cost actually owes. For example, if there are several costs totaling 100, and you collect 50, each cost would receive a proportionate portion of that 50 rather than favoring one item or sending everything to just one recipient.

The other options don’t fit the idea of proportional distribution. Prioritizing the state would ignore the proportional sharing among all costs; directing all funds to the city’s treasury would neglect state costs; and giving the state nothing wouldn’t reflect the obligation to cover the costs owed. Prorating handles all costs fairly by allocating funds based on their relative amounts.