§2005. Morgan City

A. All fines, forfeitures, costs, and penalties imposed in criminal prosecutions by the city court of Morgan City shall be transmitted to the finance director of the city of Morgan City who shall remit the funds to the appropriate entities for disposition in accordance herewith:

(1) All costs shall be used for the care and maintenance of prisoners; however, if the city jail is operated in the future by another governmental entity, then such funds in excess of amounts needed for the care and maintenance of prisoners shall be used for related law enforcement activities of the police department.

(2) One-fourth of all fines, forfeitures, and penalties shall be paid into the city court and used for the operation and maintenance of the court.

(3) Three-fourths of the fines, forfeitures, and penalties shall be paid into the general fund of the municipal corporation of Morgan City in cases where the prosecution is on behalf of the city for the violation of a municipal ordinance, and into the general fund of the parish of St. Mary in cases where the prosecution is on behalf of the state or parish for the violation of a parochial ordinance or state law.

B. The fines, forfeitures, and penalties paid into the city court and used for the operation and maintenance of the court as provided by Paragraph (A)(2) may be used for the operational expenses of the court, including but not limited to stationery, books, office supplies, filing cabinets, and such other equipment as may be useful or necessary for the proper conduct of the court's judicial business, all as may be approved by the court. Funds accumulated in the operation and maintenance account in excess of fifty thousand dollars shall be transferred, at least once annually, to the general fund of the city of Morgan City and shall be used for the purpose of construction and maintenance of city court facilities, including but not limited to a city courthouse and city jail, or for other related law enforcement operations. With the approval of the judge of the city court, the funds may be transferred from time to time throughout the year.

C. In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, there shall be taxed as costs against every defendant who is convicted after trial or after a guilty plea or who forfeits bond, a nonrefundable sum of four dollars, the proceeds of which shall be deposited to the general fund of the city of Morgan City and shall be used to defray the expenses of the prosecutor's office.

D. Thirty percent of the funds collected by the city court of Morgan City pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 15:168(B) may be deposited into a special fund created for this purpose. The fund shall be referred to as the Morgan City Indigent Defender Fund.

E. The Morgan City Indigent Defender Fund Board shall manage and oversee funds remitted to the Morgan City Indigent Defender Fund and shall consist of three members residing in the Morgan City Court district and shall be composed of the following:

(1) One member appointed by the city council of Morgan City.

(2) One member appointed by the St. Mary Parish Council.

(3) One member appointed by the legislative delegation from nominees from the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society.

Added by Acts 1960, No. 32, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 1961; Acts 1995, No. 526, §1; Acts 2016, No. 638, §1; Acts 2017, No. 99, §1.