Beaver County's domestic relations department last week stopped collecting a $120 fee that had been imposed on alimony recipients.

President Judge John McBride, who ordered the fee in April, suspended it as of June 25.

The county will keep about $20,000 it collected pending a review by the state Supreme Court of all fees charged by domestic relations offices statewide.

Joe Signore, head of the domestic relations office, said the money would not be refunded unless the high court orders a refund.

Judge McBride imposed the fee in an April 7 administrative order. The domestic relations department said it needed the money because of a budget shortfall caused by poor economic conditions. The county receives no federal or state reimbursement for collecting alimony payments.

Beaver County collects the payments in 430 cases. Many other divorced couples work out payment on their own, as is the case in counties that do not get involved in alimony collection.

The Supreme Court is studying all fees collected by domestic relations offices, which vary from county to county, with an eye toward making them uniform.