§996.59.  Judicial Expense Fund for Thirty-first Judicial District; established; disbursements

A.  In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, the clerk of court of the Thirty-first 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 chief judge of said district, which sum shall not exceed fifteen dollars, subject, however, to the provisions of Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 5181 et seq.  In all criminal cases over which the Thirty-first Judicial District Court has jurisdiction, there shall be assessed as costs against every defendant who is convicted after trial or after plea of guilty or nolo contendere or who forfeits his bond, a sum likewise determined, but which shall not exceed five dollars, 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 Thirty-first Judicial District Court.  The chief judge of the Thirty-first Judicial District Court shall have control over the fund and all disbursements made therefrom.  He 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 chief judge of the Thirty-first Judicial District Court may, in lieu of all or any part of the fees for reporting and transcribing testimony authorized under the provisions of R.S. 13:961(F), or other applicable laws, and in addition to salaries otherwise provided, authorized, or established by law, fix and pay each of their court reporters a salary from the judicial expense fund.  The chief judge may further appoint such secretarial, 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 chief judge 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 for the Thirty-first Judicial District to any judge of the court except as may be paid for administering the said fund and then only after prior legislative approval.

Acts 1999, No. 1230, §1.