Section 12-5-11 Direction of Expenditure of Funds Appropriated to Accounts of Colleges of Judges and Accounts for Judicial Education of Justices, Judges or Court-Supportive Personnel and Payment of Expenses of Justices, Judges or Court-Supportive Personnel Attending Colleges, Institutes, Conferences, Etc.

In connection with the continuing judicial education of justices, judges, circuit clerks, and court-supportive personnel, the Administrative Office of Courts and the Administrative Director of Courts may: (1) Direct the expenditure of funds appropriated to the account of the National College of State Trial Judges or any college of judges by whatever name the account appears, or to any accounts for the judicial education of any justice, judge, circuit clerk, or court-supportive personnel; (2) Direct that the actual and reasonable expenses incurred by a justice, judge, circuit clerk, or court-supportive personnel attending the National College of State Judiciary or any other college, institute, conference, seminar, or organization be paid; (3)a. Create and use a nonprofit entity as defined by 26 U.S.C § 501(c)(3) to develop, implement, manage, and fund judicial educational plans, conferences, and programs. The entity may collect nonpublic funds to support this purpose; b. An entity created under paragraph a. may hold nonpublic funds in an account or accounts maintained outside of the State Treasury, provided the account or accounts are audited or reviewed annually by a certified, independent accounting entity; c. Any money received by the nonprofit entity which exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) from a single nonpublic source within a fiscal year shall be made publicly available as part of the entity’s audit obligations under paragraph b. Conference registration fees or other similar payments for participation in educational events shall not be considered outside funds for purposes of this paragraph; and d. Funds received by an entity created under this subsection may not be conditioned upon, directed to, or restricted for the benefit of a particular justice, judge or judges, circuit clerk, or court-supportive personnel. General support provided to develop or expand judicial education programs shall not be considered a prohibited restriction; (4) Transfer state funds to the nonprofit to support judicial education purposes; and (5) House the entity created under paragraph (3)a. at the Administrative Office of Courts and staff the entity with employees of the Administrative Office of Courts.