A. Claims against the court fund shall include only expenses lawfully incurred for the operation of the court in each county. Payment of the expenses may be made after the claim is approved by the district judge who is a member of the governing board of the court fund and either the local court clerk or the local associate district judge who is a member of the governing board. No expenditures falling into any category listed in paragraphs 1, 5, 6, 7 and 13 of subsection B of this section, may be made without prior written approval of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may provide by rule the manner in which expenditures in the restricted categories shall be submitted for approval. When allowing the expenditures in paragraphs 6 and 7 of subsection B of this section, the Chief Justice shall direct that resort first be had to the surplus funds in the court fund in the county involved.

B. The term "expenses" shall include the following items and none others:

1. Compensation of bailiffs and employees of the court fund;

2. Juror fees and mileage, as well as overnight accommodation and food expense for jurors kept together as set out in Section 81 et seq. of Title 28 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

3. Witness fees and mileage for witnesses subpoenaed by the defense as set out in Section 81 et seq. of Title 28 of the Oklahoma Statutes, except that expert witnesses for county indigent defenders shall be paid a reasonable fee for their services;

4. Office supplies, books for records, postage, and printing;

5. Furniture, fixtures, and equipment;

6. Renovating, remodeling, and maintenance of courtrooms, judge's chambers, clerk's offices, and other areas primarily used for judicial functions;

7. Rent for courtroom facilities outside the courthouse;

8. Judicial robes;

9. Attorney fees for indigents in the trial court and on appeal;

10. Compensation or reimbursement for services provided in connection with an adult guardianship proceeding as provided by Section 4-403 of Title 30 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Compensation from the court fund for attorneys appointed pursuant to the Oklahoma Guardianship Act shall be substantially the same as for attorneys appointed in juvenile proceedings pursuant to Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes. The compensation, if any, for guardians ad litem appointed pursuant to the Oklahoma Guardianship Act shall not exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00);

11. Transcripts ordered by the court;

12. Necessary telephone expenses, gas, water, and electrical utilities for the part of the county courthouse occupied by the court and other areas used for court functions;

13. Security expenses for the part of the county courthouse occupied by the court and other areas used for court functions;

14. The cost of publication notice in juvenile proceedings as provided in Section 1-4-304 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes and in termination of parental rights proceedings brought by the state as provided in Section 1-4-905 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes;

15. Interpreter fees;

16. Necessary travel expenses of the office of county indigent defender approved by the court fund governing board;

17. Rent for county indigent defender's office outside of the county courthouse;

18. Computer equipment for county indigent defender's office;

19. Reasonable compensation for expert, investigative, or other services authorized by the court for indigent defendants not represented by a county indigent defender or the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, if requested;

20. Necessary training for the judges and court personnel on the court integrated computer system; and

21. Any other expenses now or hereafter expressly authorized by statute.

C. Nothing in Section 1301 et seq. of this title shall prevent the construction of additional courtrooms within existing courthouse facilities, from funds other than the court fund.

D. Items of equipment, furniture, fixtures, printing, or supplies that are available in the quantities desired from a contract vendor's list for order or purchase by the court fund through the facilities of the Central Purchasing Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services may not be purchased by any court fund at prices higher than those approved by the Director of Central Purchasing.

Added by Laws 1968, c. 412, § 4, emerg. eff. May 17, 1968. Amended by Laws 1971, c. 288, § 1, emerg. eff. June 19, 1971; Laws 1974, c. 205, § 1; Laws 1975, c. 55, § 6, emerg. eff. April 9, 1975; Laws 1986, c. 206, § 1, operative July 1, 1986; Laws 1987, c. 147, § 1, emerg. eff. June 24, 1987; Laws 1988, c. 329, § 127, eff. Nov. 1, 1988; Laws 1989, c. 194, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1989; Laws 1992, c. 282, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Laws 1993, c. 227, § 3, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 1994, c. 343, § 18, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Laws 1996, c. 78, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1997, c. 400, § 7, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1999, c. 359, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2002, c. 390, § 6, emerg. eff. June 4, 2002; Laws 2009, c. 234, § 116, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 79.