(a) In Escambia County, in order to provide a special fund for the creation and maintenance of the law library and for the purposes of judicial administration as further specified in this section, there shall be taxed as additional court costs the sum of thirty dollars ($30) in each civil or quasi-civil action at law, small claims case, suit in equity, criminal case, traffic case, quasi-criminal case, juvenile court case, proceeding on forfeited bail bond, or a proceeding on a forfeited bond given in connection with an appeal from a judgment of conviction in any district or municipal court to each circuit court or to the juvenile court hereinafter filed in, arising in, or brought by appeal, certiorari, or otherwise to the circuit court or district court or to the juvenile court in Escambia County. The costs shall be collected as other costs in cases are collected by the clerk of the court and shall be paid to the Escambia County Commission. When any part of the costs in a case have been paid, the amount paid shall first be applied to the payment of court costs provided by this section before applying any court costs paid to any other items of court costs.
(b) The court costs shall be kept in a special fund designated as the "Escambia County Law Library and Judicial Administration Fund" and shall be expended by the presiding Circuit Judge of the Circuit Court of Escambia County to create, establish, and maintain the law library, including, but not limited to, the purchase of books, periodicals, software, hardware, and other library fixtures and equipment, which in the opinion of the presiding circuit judge may be advisable, and to provide for the more effective administration of justice, including, but not limited to, paying the costs of securing the advice and attendance of witnesses, registration fees, and other actual expenses incurred in attending seminars, institutes, conferences, and other meetings in connection with continuing legal and judicial education, membership fees, or dues in legal and judicial organizations; paying the salaries of court employees when necessary for the efficient operation of the courts; and any other actual and necessary expenses incurred by the judges of the circuit in promoting legal and judicial competency. The presiding circuit judge shall draw warrants on the county for expenditures by indicating on the warrants the funds against which the warrants are to be drawn. The management of the law library shall be vested in the presiding judge of the circuit court, and all books, periodicals, reports, and other property purchased with the funds produced by this section shall be the property of Escambia County. The presiding judge may from time to time sell or exchange the books, reports, periodicals, and other personal property as may be necessary to keep the library up to date and apply the proceeds of the sale thereof or the value thereof upon the purchase of other books, reports, periodicals, and personal property for use in the library. The presiding judge of the circuit court may accept any gift or loan of any books, reports, periodicals, and other property for public use in the library upon the terms and conditions as may be stipulated by the donor or lender thereof as may be agreeable to the judge. The presiding circuit judge may designate the clerk of the circuit court or any other suitable person to operate or assist in the operation of the library. The funds established by this section shall be audited in the same manner as other county funds are audited.
Last modified: May 3, 2021