Article 27.
Expenses of the Judicial Department.
§ 7A-300. Expenses paid from State funds.
(a) The operating expenses of the Judicial Department shall be paid from State funds, out of appropriations for this purpose made by the General Assembly, or from funds provided by local governments pursuant to G.S. 7A-300.1, 153A-212.1, or 160A-289.1. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall prepare budget estimates to cover the following expenses, including therein the following items and such other items as are deemed necessary for the proper functioning of the Judicial Department:
(1) Salaries, departmental expense, printing and other costs of the appellate division.
(2) Salaries and expenses of superior court judges, district attorneys, assistant district attorneys, public defenders, and assistant public defenders, and fees and expenses of counsel assigned to represent indigents under the provisions of Subchapter IX of this Chapter.
(3) Salaries, travel expenses, departmental expense, printing and other costs of the Administrative Office of the Courts.
(4) Salaries and travel expenses of district judges, magistrates, and family court counselors.
(5) Salaries and travel expenses of clerks of superior court, their assistants, deputies, and other employees, and the expenses of their offices, including supplies and materials, postage, telephone and telegraph, bonds and insurance, equipment, and other necessary items.
(6) Fees and travel expenses of jurors, and of witnesses required to be paid by the State.
(7) Compensation and allowances of court reporters.
(8) Briefs for counsel and transcripts and other records for adequate appellate review when an appeal is taken by an indigent person.
(9) Transcripts of preliminary hearings in indigency cases and, in cases in which the defendant pays for a transcript of the preliminary hearing, a copy for the district attorney.
(10) Transcript of the evidence and trial court charge furnished the district attorney when a criminal action is appealed to the appellate division.
(11) All other expenses arising out of the operations of the Judicial Department which by law are made the responsibility of the State.
(12) Operating expenses of the Judicial Standards Commission.
(b) Repealed by Session Laws 1971, c. 377, s. 32. (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1967, c. 108, s. 9; c. 1049, s. 5; 1969, c. 1013, s. 2; 1971, c. 377, ss. 18, 21; 1973, c. 47, s. 2; c. 503, ss. 10, 11; 2000-67, s. 15.4(c); 2010-31, s. 29.7(a); 2022-47, s. 21(b); 2022-74, s. 16.3(b).)
§ 7A-300.1. Local supplementation of salaries for certain officers and employees.
(a) In order to attract and retain the best qualified officers and employees for positions in the Judicial Branch of government, the Administrative Office of the Courts may contract with the governing body of a city or county for the provision of local funds to supplement the salaries of Judicial Department employees, other than elected officials and magistrates, who serve the superior court district, district court district, or prosecutorial district containing that unit of local government. Any employee who receives salary supplementation under this section shall be notified before receiving it that the supplementation is subject to the availability of local funds, may be discontinued at any time, and is not "compensation" for purposes of the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or the Consolidated Judicial Retirement System.
(b) Repealed by Session Laws 2023-134, s. 16.28(a), effective July 1, 2023. (2010-31, s. 29.7(b); 2023-134, s. 16.28(a).)
§ 7A-301. Disbursement of expenses.
The salaries and expenses of all personnel in the Judicial Department and other operating expenses shall be paid out of the State treasury upon warrants duly drawn thereon, except that the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Administration, with the approval of the State Auditor, may establish alternative procedures for the prompt payment of juror fees, witness fees, and other small expense items. (1965, c. 310, s. 1.)
§ 7A-302. Counties and municipalities responsible for physical facilities.
In each county in which a district court has been established, courtrooms, office space for juvenile court counselors and support staff as assigned by the Division of Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety, and related judicial facilities (including furniture), as defined in this Subchapter, shall be provided by the county, except that courtrooms and related judicial facilities may, with the approval of the administrative Officer of the Courts, after consultation with county and municipal authorities, be provided by a municipality in the county. To assist a county or municipality in meeting the expense of providing courtrooms and related judicial facilities, a part of the costs of court, known as the "facilities fee," collected for the State by the clerk of superior court, shall be remitted to the county or municipality providing the facilities. (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1998-202, s. 15; 2000-137, s. 4(a); 2007-323, s. 14.16; 2008-107, s. 29.8(f); 2011-145, s. 19.1(l); 2017-186, s. 2(c); 2021-180, s. 19C.9(z).)
§ 7A-303. Equipment and supplies in clerk's office.
Upon the establishment of the district court in any county, supplies and all equipment in the office of the clerk of superior court shall become the property of the State. (1965, c. 310, s. 1.)