2024 California Rules of Court
Rule 10.810. Court operations
(a) Definition
Except as provided in subdivision (b) and subject to the requirements of subdivisions (c) and (d), "court operations" as defined in Government Code section 77003 includes the following costs:
(1) (judicial salaries and benefits) salaries, benefits, and public agency retirement contributions for superior and municipal court judges and for subordinate judicial officers;
(2) (nonjudicial salaries and benefits) salaries, benefits, and public agency retirement contributions for superior and municipal court staff whether permanent, temporary, full- or part-time, contract or per diem, including but not limited to all municipal court staff positions specifically prescribed by statute and county clerk positions directly supporting the superior courts;
(3) salaries and benefits for those sheriff, marshal, and constable employees as the court deems necessary for court operations in superior and municipal courts and the supervisors of those sheriff, marshal, and constable employees who directly supervise the court security function;
(4) court-appointed counsel in juvenile dependency proceedings, and counsel appointed by the court to represent a minor as specified in Government Code section 77003;
(5) (services and supplies) operating expenses in support of judicial officers and court operations;
(6) (collective bargaining) collective bargaining with respect to court employees; and
(7) (indirect costs) a share of county general services as defined in subdivision (d), Function 11, and used by the superior and municipal courts.
(Subd (a) amended effective July 1, 1995; previously amended effective January 1, 1989, July 1, 1990, and July 1, 1991.)
(b) Exclusions
Excluded from the definition of "court operations" are the following:
(1) law library operations conducted by a trust pursuant to statute;
(2) courthouse construction and site acquisition, including space rental (for other than court records storage), alterations/remodeling, or relocating court facilities;
(3) district attorney services;
(4) probation services;
(5) indigent criminal and juvenile delinquency defense;
(6) civil and criminal grand jury expenses and operations (except for selection);
(7) pretrial release services;
(8) equipment and supplies for use by official reporters of the courts to prepare transcripts as specified by statute; and
(9) county costs as provided in subdivision (d) as unallowable.
(Subd (b) amended effective July 1, 1995; adopted effective July 1, 1988 as subd (c); previously amended effective January 1, 1989, and July 1, 1990.)
(c) Budget appropriations
Costs for court operations specified in subdivision (a) shall be appropriated in county budgets for superior and municipal courts, including contract services with county agencies or private providers except for the following:
(1) salaries, benefits, services, and supplies for sheriff, marshal, and constable employees as the court deems necessary for court operations in superior and municipal courts;
(2) salaries, benefits, services, and supplies for county clerk activities directly supporting the superior court; and
(3) costs for court-appointed counsel specified in Government Code section 77003.
Except as provided in this subdivision, costs not appropriated in the budgets of the courts are unallowable.
(Subd (c) amended effective July 1, 1995; adopted as subd (d) effective July 1, 1990.)
(d) Functional budget categories
Trial court budgets and financial reports shall identify all allowable court operations in the following eleven (11) functional budget categories. Costs for salary, wages, and benefits of court employees are to be shown in the appropriate functions provided the individual staff member works at least 25 percent time in that function. Individual staff members whose time spent in a function is less than 25 percent are reported in Function 10, All Other Court Operations. The functions and their respective costs are as follows:
Function 1. Judicial Officers
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salaries and state benefits of |
| Judges |
| Full- or part-time court commissioners |
| Full- or part-time court referees |
| Assigned judges' in-county travel expenses |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| County benefits of judicial officers (Function 10) |
| Juvenile traffic hearing officers (Function 10) |
| Mental health hearing officers (Function 10) |
| Pro tem hearing officers (Function 10) |
| Commissioner and referee positions specifically excluded by statute from state trial court funding (unallowable) |
| Related data processing (Function 9) |
| Any other related services, supplies, and equipment (Function 10) |
Function 2. Jury Services
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Juror expenses of per diem fees and mileage |
| Meals and lodging for sequestered jurors |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of jury commissioner and jury services staff (including selection of grand jury) |
| Contractual jury services |
| Jury-related office expenses (other than information technology) |
| Jury-related communications, including "on call" services |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Juror parking (unallowable) |
| Civil and criminal grand jury costs (unallowable) |
| Jury-related information systems (Function 9) |
Function 3. Verbatim Reporting
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of court reporters who are court employees |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of electronic monitors and support staff |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of verbatim reporting coordinators and clerical support staff |
| Contractual court reporters and monitors |
| Transcripts for use by appellate or trial courts, or as otherwise required by law |
| Related office expenses and equipment (purchased, leased, or rented) used to record court proceedings, except as specified in Government Code § 68073, e.g., notepaper, pens, and pencils ER equipment and supplies |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Office expenses and equipment for use by reporters to prepare transcripts (unallowable) |
| Expenses specified in Government Code § 69073 (unallowable) |
| Space use charges for court reporters (unallowable) |
Function 4. Court Interpreters
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of courtroom interpreters and interpreter coordinators |
| Per diem and contractual courtroom interpreters, including contractual transportation and travel allowances |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Related data processing (Function 9) |
| Any other related services, supplies, and equipment (Function 10) |
Function 5. Collections Enhancement
| Collections performed in the enforcement of court orders for fees, fines, forfeitures, restitutions, penalties, and assessments (beginning with the establishment of the accounts receivable record) |
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of collection employees of the court, e.g., financial hearing officers evaluation officers collection staff |
| Contract collections costs |
| County charges for collection services provided to the court by county agencies |
| Related services, supplies, and equipment (except data processing, Function 9) |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Staff whose principal involvement is in collecting "forthwith" payments, e.g., counter clerks (Function 10) cashiers (Function 10) |
Function 6. Dispute Resolution Programs
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Arbitrators' fees in mandatory judicial arbitration programs |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of court staff providing child custody and visitation mediation and related investigation services, e.g., Director of Family Court Services mediators conciliators investigators clerical support staff |
| Contract mediators providing child custody and visitation mediation services |
| Salaries, wages, benefits, fees, and contract costs for other arbitration and mediation programs (programs not mandated by statute), e.g., arbitration administrators clerical support staff arbitrators' fees and expenses |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Related data processing (Function 9) |
| Any other related services, supplies, and equipment (Function 10) |
Function 7. Court-Appointed Counsel (Noncriminal)
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Expenses for court-appointed counsel as specified in Government Code § 77003 |
Function 8. Court Security
| Court security services as deemed necessary by the court. Includes only the duties of (a) courtroom bailiff, (b) perimeter security (i.e., outside the courtroom but inside the court facility), and (c) at least .25 FTE dedicated supervisors of these activities. |
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salary, wages, and benefits (including overtime) of sheriff, marshal, and constable employees who perform the court's security, i.e., bailiffs weapons-screening personnel |
| Salary, wages, and benefits (including overtime) of court staff performing court security, e.g., court attendants |
| Contractual security services |
| Salary, wages, and benefits of supervisors of sheriff, marshal, and constable employees whose duties are greater than .25 FTE dedicated to this function |
| Sheriff, marshal, and constable employee training |
| Purchase of security equipment |
| Maintenance of security equipment |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Other sheriff, marshal, or constable employees (unallowable) |
| Court attendant training (Function 10) |
| Overhead costs attributable to the operation of the sheriff and marshal offices (unallowable) |
| Costs associated with the transportation and housing of detainees from the jail to the courthouse (unallowable) |
| Service of process in civil cases (unallowable) |
| Services and supplies, including data processing, not specified above as allowable |
| Supervisors of bailiffs and perimeter security personnel of the sheriff, marshal, or constable office who supervise these duties less than .25 FTE time (unallowable) |
Function 9. Information Technology
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits of court employees who plan, implement, and maintain court data processing and information technologies, e.g., programmers analysts |
| Contract and consulting services associated with court information/data processing needs and systems |
| County Information Systems/Data Processing Department charges made to court for court systems, e.g., jury-related systems court and case management, including courts' share of a criminal justice information system accounts receivable/collections systems |
| Related services, supplies, and equipment, e.g., software purchases and leases maintenance of automation equipment training associated with data processing systems' development |
| Costs not reported in this function include |
| Information technology services not provided directly to the courts (i.e., services used by other budget units) |
| Data processing for county general services, e.g., payroll, accounts payable (Function 11) |
Function 10. All Other Court Operations
| Costs reported in this function are |
| Salaries, wages, and benefits (including any pay differentials and overtime) of court staff (a) not reported in Functions 2-9, or (b) whose time cannot be allocated to Functions 2-9 in increments of at least 25 percent time (.25 FTE); |
| Judicial benefits, county-paid |
| Allowable costs not reported in Functions 2-9. |
| (Nonjudicial staff) Cost items may include, for example, juvenile traffic hearing officer mental health hearing officer court-appointed hearing officer (pro tem) executive officer court administrator clerk of the court administrative assistant personnel staff legal research personnel; staff attorney; planning and research staff secretary courtroom clerk clerical support staff calendar clerk deputy clerk accountant cashier counter clerk microfilming staff management analyst probate conservatorship and guardianship investigators probate examiner training staff employed by the court |
| Personnel costs not reported in this function: |
| Any of the above not employed by the court |
| (Services and supplies) Cost items may include, for example, office supplies printing postage communications publications and legal notices, by the court miscellaneous departmental expenses books, publications, training fees, and materials for court personnel (judicial and nonjudicial) travel and transportation (judicial and nonjudicial) professional dues memberships and subscriptions statutory multidistrict judges' association expenses research, planning, and program coordination expenses small claims advisor program costs court-appointed expert witness fees (for the court's needs) court-ordered forensic evaluations and other professional services (for the court's own use) pro tem judges' expenses micrographics expenses public information services vehicle use, including automobile insurance equipment (leased, rented, or purchased) and furnishings, including interior painting, replacement/maintenance of flooring, and furniture repair maintenance of office equipment janitorial services legal services for allowable court operations (County Counsel and contractual) fidelity and faithful performance insurance (bonding and personal liability insurance on judges and court employees) insurance on cash money and securities (hold-up and burglary) general liability/comprehensive insurance for other than faulty maintenance or design of facility (e.g., "slip and fall," other injury, theft and damage of court equipment, slander, discrimination) risk management services related to allowable insurance space rental for court records county records retention/destruction services county messenger/mail service court audits mandated under Government Code § 71383 |
| Service and supply costs not reported in this function include Civic association dues (unallowable) Facility damages insurance (unallowable) County central service department charges not appropriated in the court budget (unallowable) |
Function 11. County General Services ("Indirect Costs")
| General county services are defined as all eligible accounting, payroll, budgeting, personnel, purchasing, and county administrator costs rendered in support of court operations. Costs for included services are allowable to the extent the service is provided to the court. The following costs, regardless of how characterized by the county or by which county department they are performed, are reported in this function only and are subject to the statutory maximum for indirect costs as specified in Government Code § 77003. To the extent costs are allowable under this rule, a county's approved Cost Plan may be used to determine the specific cost although the cost categories, or functions, may differ. |
| Cost items within the meaning of rule 10.810(a)(7) and the county departments often performing the service may include, for example, County Administrator budget development and administration interdepartmental budget unit administration and operations personnel (labor) relations and administration Auditor-Controller payroll financial audits warrant processing fixed asset accounting departmental accounting for courts, e.g., fines, fees, forfeitures, restitutions, penalties, and assessments; accounting for the Trial Court Special Revenue Fund accounts payable grant accounting management reporting banking Personnel recruitment and examination of applicants maintenance and certification of eligible lists position classification salary surveys leave accounting employment physicals handling of appeals Treasurer/Tax Collector warrant processing bank reconciliation retirement system administration receiving, safeguarding, investing, and disbursing court funds Purchasing Agent process departmental requisitions issue and analyze bids make contracts and agreements for the purchase or rental of personal property store surplus property and facilitate public auctions |
| Unallowable costs Unallowable court-related costs are those (a) in support of county operations, (b) expressly prohibited by statute, (c) facility-related, or (d) exceptions of the nature referenced in Functions 1-11. |
| Unallowable cost items, including any related data processing costs, are not reported in Functions 1-11 and may include, for example, Communications central communication control and maintenance for county emergency and general government radio equipment Central Collections processing accounts receivable for county departments (not courts) County Administrator legislative analysis and activities preparation and operation of general directives and operating procedures responses to questions from the Board, outside agencies, and the public executive functions: Board of Supervisors county advisory councils Treasurer/Tax Collector property tax determination, collection, etc. General Services rental and utilities support coordinate county's emergency services Property Management negotiations for the acquisition, sale, or lease of property, except for space rented for storage of court records making appraisals negotiating utility relocations assisting County Counsel in condemnation actions preparing deeds, leases, licenses, easements collecting rents building lease management services (except for storage of court records) Facility-related construction services right-of-way and easement services purchase of land and buildings construction depreciation of buildings/use allowance space rental/building rent (except for storage of court records) building maintenance and repairs (except interior painting and to replace/repair flooring) purchase, installation, and maintenance of H/V/A/C equipment maintenance and repair of utilities utility use charges (e.g., heat, light, water) elevator purchase and maintenance alterations/remodeling landscaping and grounds maintenance services exterior lighting and security insurance on building damages (e.g., fire, earthquake, flood, boiler and machinery) grounds' liability insurance parking lot or facility maintenance juror parking |
(Subd (d) amended effective January 1, 2007; previously amended and relettered effective July 1, 1995.)
Rule 10.810 amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007; adopted as rule 810 effective July 1, 1988; previously amended effective July 1, 1989, July 1, 1990, July 1, 1991, and July 1, 1995.
Advisory Committee Comment
Rule 10.810 is identical to former rule 810, except for the rule number. All references in statutes or rules to rule 810 apply to this rule.