(1) Each clerk of the circuit court, on behalf of the state attorney, private court-appointed counsel, the public defender, and the criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, shall forward to the Justice Administrative Commission, by county, a quarterly estimate of funds necessary to pay for ordinary witnesses, including, but not limited to, witnesses in civil traffic cases and witnesses of the state attorney, the public defender, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, private court-appointed counsel, and persons determined to be indigent for costs. Each quarter of the state fiscal year, the commission, based upon the estimates, shall advance funds to each clerk to pay for these ordinary witnesses from state funds specifically appropriated for the payment of ordinary witnesses.

(2) Upon receipt of an estimate pursuant to subsection (1), the Justice Administrative Commission shall endorse the amount deemed necessary for payment by the clerk of the court during the quarterly fiscal period and shall submit a request for payment to the Chief Financial Officer.

(3) Upon receipt of the funds from the Chief Financial Officer, the clerk of the court shall pay all invoices approved and submitted by the state attorney, the public defender, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and private court-appointed counsel for the items enumerated in subsection (1).

(4) After review for compliance with applicable rates and requirements, the Justice Administrative Commission shall pay all due process service related invoices, except those enumerated in subsection (1), approved and submitted by the state attorney, the public defender, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, or private court-appointed counsel in accordance with the applicable requirements of ss. 29.005, 29.006, and 29.007.

(5) The Justice Administrative Commission shall provide funds to the clerks of the court to compensate jurors, to pay for meals or lodging provided to jurors, and to pay for jury-related personnel costs as provided in this section. Each clerk of the court shall forward to the Justice Administrative Commission a quarterly estimate of funds necessary to compensate jurors and pay for meals or lodging provided to jurors during the upcoming quarter. The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation shall forward to the Justice Administrative Commission a quarterly estimate of the amount necessary to reimburse each clerk of the court for its personnel and other costs related to jury management. Upon receipt of such estimates, the Justice Administrative Commission shall determine the amount deemed necessary for payment to the clerks of the court during the upcoming quarter and submit a request for payment to the Chief Financial Officer. If the Justice Administrative Commission believes that the amount appropriated by the Legislature is insufficient to meet such costs during the remaining part of the state fiscal year, the commission may apportion the funds appropriated in the General Appropriations Act for those purposes among the several counties, basing the apportionment upon the amount expended for such purposes in each county during the prior fiscal year, in which case, the Chief Financial Officer shall issue the appropriate apportioned amount by warrant to each county. The clerks of the court are responsible for any compensation to jurors, for payments for meals or lodging provided to jurors, and for jury-related personnel costs that exceed the funding provided in the General Appropriations Act for these purposes.

History.—s. 1, ch. 4121, 1893; GS 1591; s. 1, ch. 7262, 1917; RGS 2793; CGL 4479; s. 1, ch. 65-483; s. 2, ch. 68-7; s. 6, ch. 69-353; s. 9, ch. 73-334; s. 12, ch. 79-235; ss. 2, 7, ch. 82-176; s. 252, ch. 95-147; s. 17, ch. 95-312; s. 1, ch. 98-92; s. 62, ch. 2003-402; s. 38, ch. 2004-265; s. 27, ch. 2005-236; s. 16, ch. 2008-111; s. 6, ch. 2017-126.