2009 Louisiana Laws TITLE 13 Courts and judicial procedure :: RS 13:2080.1 Miscellaneous city court; fees; surplus in civil fee account

§2080.1.  Miscellaneous city court; fees; surplus in civil fee account

A.  Any city court located in a city with a population according to the most recent United States census of between sixty thousand and seventy-one thousand people may impose an additional five-dollar fee as court costs in civil and criminal cases.  The costs collected pursuant to this Subsection shall be deposited in the general fund for the city and shall be used for capital improvements for the building housing the city court.

B.  The marshal of a city court located in a municipality having a population of not more than twenty-five thousand and not less than nineteen thousand, according to the most recent United States census data, may collect a fee of ten dollars for the taking of an appearance bond when required to do so.  The city court in such municipality may also impose an additional five-dollar fee as court costs in civil and criminal matters.  The sums collected for the taking of an appearance bond, and any additional court costs as provided in this Subsection, shall be deposited in such marshal's general fund to supplement the operational expenses of the marshal's office and the expenditure of such funds shall be subject to and included in the marshal's annual audit.  A copy of the audit shall be filed with the legislative auditor who shall make it available for public inspection.

C.  When a surplus of filing fees and costs or unclaimed fees and costs has accumulated in the civil fee account of any city court in a city having a population of not less than seven thousand and not more than seven thousand two hundred, according to the latest decennial census, and the surplus or unclaimed fees and costs have remained unclaimed for a period of five years or more, the judge of the court may transfer the amount of the surplus or the amount of the unclaimed fees and costs that remain unclaimed to the operating fund known as the judicial expense account of the court after notice to the depositors by publication in the legal journal of the parish or by other reasonable means to the operating fund known as the judicial expense account of the court.  The provisions of this Subsection shall not affect any claim or right granted to a claimant by the provisions of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, R.S. 9:151 et seq.  After transfer of the surplus funds from the civil fee account to the judicial expense account of the court, the city court shall remain liable for the full amount of any viable claim for unclaimed property in accordance with any other provision of law.

Acts 1997, No. 847, §1; Acts 2004, No. 471, §1.