This measure is designed to evaluate whether a court promptly disburses moneys, including those held in trust and those due in payment for services rendered, once a determination has been made that the money should be disbursed.
Courts operate in different financial environments.
Some courts maintain direct control over all moneys coming into the court, while others work with a local government agency that handles disbursements for the courts. In taking this measure, the lines of authority and degree of control the court has over the actual disbursement of funds must be considered. The measure may have to be adapted to distinguish a court's responsibility in initiating a payment from another agency's responsibility for making the payment. Regardless of who is ultimately responsible for disbursement, it is important that this task be performed promptly. The first step is to review court policies and procedures for disbursements of funds.