§996.36. Judicial expense fund; Eighteenth Judicial District

A. In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, the clerk of court of the Eighteenth Judicial District Court 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 Eighteenth 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 who forfeits his bond, a sum likewise determined but which shall not exceed ten dollars, which shall be in addition to all other fines, costs, or forfeitures lawfully imposed and which shall be transmitted each month to the court by the sheriff for further disposition in accordance herewith.

B. The clerk of court and the sheriff shall place all sums collected or received under this Section in a separate account to be designated as the Judicial Expense Fund for the Eighteenth Judicial District Court. The judges, en banc, shall have control over and administer the fund and all disbursements made therefrom. They shall cause to be conducted annually an audit of the funds so collected and disbursed 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, court reporters, secretarial, 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 said expenses and salaries of such personnel out of the monies in the judicial expense fund. The judges, en banc, may utilize the monies in the fund to pay all or any part of the cost of establishing and maintaining a law library for the court and for buying and maintaining any type of equipment, supplies, or other items consistent with or germane to the efficient operation of the court.

D. In general, the judicial expense 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 supplemental and 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 expense fund for the Eighteenth Judicial District Court to any of the judges.

Added by Acts 1983, No. 316, §1; Acts 1983, No. 352, §3; Acts 1983, No. 443, §1.