County officers are required to assist in the preparation of the report which may be combined with the Supreme Court's annual report of the state aid to the courts fund. Administered by the Supreme Court, monies are to assist the superior court, including court clerks and the justice courts. The presiding judge, in coordination with the board of supervisors, the clerk of the court and the presiding justice of the peace must submit a plan to the Supreme Court for approval outlining how the money will be used. No general fund appropriation. All monies received are to assist in the goal of accelerating criminal case processing, are exempt from lapsing and are to supplement, not supplant FY 1997-1998 county funding for the listed purposes.
Interest earned on the funds remain as part of the funds.
Distributions to the counties are made by September 1 of each year according to a specified formula which takes into account the volume of criminal cases processed each year. Reports on fund expenditures and achievement of the fund goals are due by January 8 of each year beginning in 2001. New Duties 3. Requires the public defender in each county to file an annual report to the presiding judge of the superior court, the chief probation officer and the board of supervisors indicating the average cost of defending a felony case. Requires all criminal defendants, not just those on probation, to reimburse counties a reasonable amount toward the cost of any defense provided to them.