§996.43. Judicial expense fund for Fifth Judicial District

            A. In addition to all other fees or costs now or hereafter provided by law, each clerk of court in the Fifth 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, however, to the provisions of Code of Civil Procedure Article 5181, et seq. In all criminal cases over which the Fifth Judicial District Court has jurisdiction, there shall be taxed as costs against every defendant who is convicted after trial, or after he pleads guilty, 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 clerk for further disposition.

            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 Fifth Judicial District Court. The judges, en banc, of the Fifth Judicial District 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. The judges, en banc, may appoint such law clerks and secretarial, clerical, research, administrative, and 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 a similar manner, the judges, en banc, 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 for the court, to support the office of the district public defender, or for buying or maintaining 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 provided, authorized, or established by law for any of these purposes.

            Acts 1985, No. 252, §1, eff. July 6, 1985; Acts 2026, No. 862, §3.