Courts in specified parishes may or must impose coroner fund fees on convicted defendants, and collected money goes into a parish Coroner's Operational Fund.
§5722. Coroner's Operational Fund established A.(1) Except as provided in R.S. 13:996.9 and R.S. 13:996.34, in addition to the criminal costs authorized by law, each judge, including those of city courts, may impose a ten dollar fee on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, except for traffic violations, which fee shall be dedicated solely to defraying the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish in which the conviction occurred. However, in the district court in St. Landry Parish, the fee provided in this Section shall be imposed. (2)(a) In criminal cases, including traffic violations, in all courts in St. Bernard Parish and St. Martin Parish, a fee of not less than five nor more than ten dollars shall be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the respective parish. (b) In criminal cases, including traffic violations, in all courts in Iberia Parish, a fee of not less than five nor more than ten dollars shall be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish. (c) In criminal cases, including traffic violations, in all courts in Lafayette Parish, a fee of not less than five nor more than ten dollars shall be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish. (d) In criminal cases, including traffic violations, in the district court in Jefferson Davis Parish, a fee of not more than five dollars shall be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish. (e) Repealed by Acts 2021, No. 327, §2, eff. June 14, 2021. (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 13:62, in criminal cases, including traffic violations, in all courts in Concordia Parish, a fee of not less than five dollars nor more than ten dollars may be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish. (g) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 13:62, in criminal cases, including traffic violations, in all courts in Tensas Parish, East Carroll Parish, and Madison Parish, a fee of not less than five dollars nor more than ten dollars may be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish. (h) In criminal cases, including traffic violations, in all courts in St. Mary Parish, a fee of not less than five dollars nor more than ten dollars shall be imposed on every defendant who is convicted after trial or plea of guilty, which fee shall be used solely to defray the operational costs of the office of the coroner of the parish. (3) The coroner shall not request additional funds from the parish governing authority to defray the operational costs of his office until all funds provided in this Section have been accounted for. B. The sheriff or clerk of court collecting criminal court costs shall place all sums collected or received under this Section into the treasury of the parish in which the coroner holds office, for deposit in a "Coroner's Operational Fund" account which, upon the request of the coroner, shall be used or paid out in defraying the operational expenses of the coroner's office. The Coroner's Operational Fund shall be subject to and incorporated with the regularly scheduled audit of the parish governing authority in accordance with R.S. 24:513. C. Repealed by Acts 1988, No. 108, §2. Acts 1988, No. 108, §2; Acts 1989, No. 341, §1; Acts 1989, No. 460, §1; Acts 1993, No. 30, §1; Acts 1993, No. 392, §1; Acts 1993, No. 393, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 33:1572 pursuant to Acts 2011, No. 248, §3; Acts 2014, No. 234, §1; Acts 2014, No. 455, §1; Acts 2020, No. 135, §1; Acts 2021, No. 327, §§1, 2, eff. June 14, 2021; Acts 2021, No. 355, §1; eff. June 14, 2021; Acts 2024, No. 379, §1.