§996.32. Judicial Clerk's Fund for Third Judicial District; established; disbursements

A. In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, the clerk of court of the Third Judicial District shall collect from every person filing any type of civil suit or proceeding and who is not otherwise exempted by law from the payment of court costs, a sum to be determined by the judges of said district, sitting en banc, which sum shall not exceed fifteen dollars, subject, however, to the provisions of Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, Article 5181, et seq.; and, in all criminal cases over which the Third Judicial District Court has jurisdiction, there shall be taxed as costs against every defendant who is convicted after trial or after plea of guilty or nolo contendere or who forfeits his bond, a sum likewise determined, but which shall not exceed seventeen dollars and fifty cents, which shall be in addition to all other fines, costs, or forfeitures lawfully imposed and which shall be transmitted to the said clerk for further disposition in accordance herewith.

B. The clerk of court shall place all sums collected or received under this Section in a separate account to be designated as the Judicial Clerk's Fund for the Third Judicial District Court. The judges, en banc, of the Third Judicial District shall have control over and administer the funds and all disbursements made therefrom. They shall cause to be conducted annually an audit of the fund and the books and accounts relating thereto, and shall file the same with the office of the legislative auditor where it shall be available for public inspection.

C. The judges, en banc, may appoint such law clerks, clerical, research, administrative, or other personnel as they deem necessary to expedite the business and function of the court and fix and pay all or any part of the salaries or reasonable expenses of such personnel out of the monies in the Judicial Clerk's Fund. In like manner, the judges, en banc, may utilize the monies in the Judicial Clerk's Fund to pay all or any part of the cost of establishing or maintaining a law library, or both, for the court, or for buying or maintaining or both, any type of equipment, supplies or other items consistent with or germane to the efficient operation of the court, including bookkeeping services or to reimburse other court funds for such services, or to pay for actual expenses incurred, including travel, hotel, tuition, and fees, by any judge or clerk in attending any seminar or conference germane to the proper operation of the court.

D. In general, the Judicial Clerk's Fund is established and may be used for any purpose or purposes connected with, incidental to, or related to the proper administration or function of the said court or the offices of the individual judges and is in addition to any and all other funds, salaries, expenses, or other monies that are now or hereafter provided, authorized, or established by law for any of the aforesaid purposes.

E. No salary shall be paid from the Judicial Clerk's Fund for the Third Judicial District to any of the judges of the Third Judicial District except as may be paid for administering the said fund and then only after prior legislative approval.

Added by Acts 1983, No. 2, §1, eff. May 18, 1983; Acts 1988, No. 261, §1; Acts 1988, No. 262, §1.