This section creates a judicial expense fund, requires the clerk to collect certain court-cost sums, and lets district judges control and spend the fund for court-related purposes, but not for judges’ salaries.
§996.52. Judicial expense fund for Thirty-eighth Judicial District established A. In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, the clerk of court of the Thirty-eighth 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 the district, sitting en banc, which sum shall not exceed fifteen dollars, subject to the provisions of Code of Civil, Procedure Article 5181 et seq. In all criminal cases over which the Thirty-eighth 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 fifteen dollars, which shall be in addition to all other fines, costs, or forfeitures lawfully imposed and which shall be transmitted to the 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 Thirty-eighth Judicial District Court. The judges of the district, en banc, shall have control over the fund 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. A majority of the judges, en banc, may appoint such law clerks, secretarial, clerical, research, administrative, or other personnel as they deem necessary to expedite the business and function of the court, may fix and pay all or any part of the expenses and salaries of such personnel out of the monies in the judicial expense fund, and 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 to buy and maintain 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 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 provided, authorized, or established by law for any such purposes. However, no salary shall be paid from the judicial expense fund to any of the judges of the district. Acts 1991, No. 932, §1; Acts 2006, No. 620, §1.