§ 7A-44.1. Secretarial and clerical help.
§ 7A‑44.1. Secretarial and clerical help.
(a) Each senior resident superior court judge may appoint ajudicial secretary to serve at his pleasure and under his direction thesecretarial and clerical needs of the superior court judges of the district orset of districts as defined by G.S. 7A‑41.1(a) for which he is the seniorresident superior court judge. The appointment may be full‑ or part‑timeand the compensation and allowances of such secretary shall be fixed by thesenior regular resident superior court judge, within limits determined by theAdministrative Office of the Courts, and paid by the State.
(b) Each senior resident superior court judge may apply to theDirector of the Administrative Office of the Courts to enter into contractswith local governments for the provision by the State of services of judicialsecretaries pursuant to G.S. 153A‑212.1 or G.S. 160A‑289.1.
(c) The Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts mayprovide assistance requested pursuant to subsection (b) of this section onlyupon a showing by the senior resident superior court judge, supported by facts,that the overwhelming public interest warrants the use of additional resourcesfor the speedy disposition of cases involving drug offenses, domestic violence,or other offenses involving a threat to public safety.
(d) The terms of any contract entered into with localgovernments pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be fixed by theDirector of the Administrative Office of the Courts in each case. Nothing inthis section shall be construed to obligate the General Assembly to make anyappropriation to implement the provisions of this section or to obligate theAdministrative Office of the Courts to provide the administrative costs ofestablishing or maintaining the positions or services provided for under thissection. Further, nothing in this section shall be construed to obligate theAdministrative Office of the Courts to maintain positions or services initiallyprovided for under this section. (1975, c. 956, s. 3; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1037, s. 3; 2000‑67,s. 15.4(a).)