§965. Nineteenth Judicial District; indigent transcript fund

A. The court administrator for the Nineteenth Judicial District Court shall establish an indigent transcript fund for the deposit of all monies that may be received under the provisions of this Section relative to the payment of court reporter fees for transcripts prepared for indigents. All funds received and deposited therein shall be used and paid out to compensate criminal court reporters for the preparation of all transcripts for indigent defendants, including trials, motions, hearings on writs, and all court proceedings. If surplus funds are available at the end of the fiscal year, these funds shall remain in the indigent transcript fund for future payment for indigent transcripts as well as for other administrative costs associated with management of the fund.

B. In all criminal cases over which the court has original, appellate, supervisory, or concurrent jurisdiction, including traffic violations, there shall be assessed as costs against every defendant who is convicted after trial or after a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or who forfeits his bond, the sum not to exceed ten dollars, which shall be transmitted to the court administrator for further disposition in accordance herewith.

C. The court administrator shall cause to be conducted annually an audit of the fund and the books and accounts relating thereto in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 24:513. The cost of the audit shall be paid from monies in the fund.

Acts 1999, No. 217, §1.