Opinion ID: 1771702
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 36

Heading: Joint Funding of District Attorney and District Court

Text: Defendant argues that the current scheme under which district attorneys and district judges share the financial resources of the Criminal Court Fund violates separation of powers principles. Specifically, defendant contends that the scheme set out by La.Rev.Stat. 15:571.11 provides the district attorney with authority over the financing of the district court. However, as discussed above, defendant fails to show that the scheme denied him any funding for experts or investigators to which he was entitled and thus does not show any prejudice resulting from the existing funding scheme. Cf. State v. Conger, 483 So.2d 1100, 1103 (La.App. 4th Cir.), cert. denied, 488 So.2d 199 (La.1986) (relief not warranted when defendant fails to show prejudice resulting from alleged prosecutorial atmosphere created by statute allowing prosecutor to collect fines paid to Criminal District Court). Moreover, the salaries of the judges are fixed by law and annually appropriated by the Legislature so that the judiciary had no vested interest in the outcome of defendant's case. See La.Rev.Stat. 13:102 (salaries of Supreme Court justices); La.Rev. Stat. 13:311 (salaries of appellate judges); La.Rev.Stat. 13:691 (salaries of district court judges). Cf Augustus v. Roemer, 771 F.Supp. 1458, 1473 (E.D.La.1991) (if judges impose fines they will spend, system offends Due Process clause) (citing Ward v. Village of Monroeville, Ohio, 409 U.S. 57, 93 S.Ct. 80, 34 L.Ed.2d 267 (1972); Tumey v. Ohio, 273 U.S. 510, 534, 47 S.Ct. 437, 71 L.Ed. 749 (1927)). Finally, despite the requirement of approval by both the district court and the district attorney, `neither agency of government may arbitrarily refuse to approve a proper expenditure from [the Criminal Court Fund].' State v. Craig, 93-2525, p. 6 (La.5/23/94); 637 So.2d 437, 442 (quoting State v. Henderson, So.2d 341 So.2d 879, 882 (La. 1977)). In these circumstances, defendant fails to show any violation of separation of powers principles.