§996.41. Judicial expense fund; Fortieth Judicial District Court

A. In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, the clerk of court for the Fortieth 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 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 seven dollars 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 expense fund for the Fortieth Judicial District Court. The judges, en banc, 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 of such personnel out of the monies in the judicial expense fund. In like manner, the judges, en banc, may utilize the monies in the judicial expense 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. 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 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.

D. No salary shall be paid from the judicial expense fund to any of the judges of the court except as may be paid for administering the fund and then only after prior legislative approval.

E. Prior to January 1, 1985, by unanimous vote, the judges of the Twenty-ninth Judicial District Court shall adopt a court rule which will transfer a portion of the balance in the judicial clerk's fund for the Twenty-ninth Judicial District Court to the judicial expense fund for the Fortieth Judicial District Court on January 1, 1985.

Acts 1984, No. 52, §4, eff. Jan. 1, 1985; Acts 1990, No. 382, §1.