16-3-808 - Funds for civil legal representation of indigents.
16-3-808. Funds for civil legal representation of indigents.
(a) The state treasurer is authorized and directed to establish within the general fund a fund known as the civil legal representation of indigents fund.
(b) The source of funding for this fund shall be the revenue derived from the litigation tax levied pursuant to § 67-4-602(g). The revenue shall be collected in accordance with § 67-4-603, deposited to the civil legal representation of indigents fund as provided by law, and invested for the benefit of the fund pursuant to § 9-4-603. Moneys in the fund shall not revert to the general fund of the state, but shall remain available and are appropriated exclusively for providing legal representation of poor persons in civil matters.
(c) Moneys in the civil legal representation of indigents fund shall be annually allocated and expended to provide legal representation to poor persons in the state in civil matters in the manner determined by the supreme court, including in accordance with any rules and policies adopted by the supreme court for such purpose; provided, that no moneys allocated from this fund shall be expended for class-action lawsuits. The supreme court may designate not-for-profit organizations that ordinarily render or finance legal services to poor persons in civil matters to receive or administer the distribution of allocated funds. The supreme court shall make a conscious effort in the allocation of funds and in the adoption of any implementing rules and policies to cause the moneys in the civil legal representation of indigents fund to be expended for the benefit of indigent clients in all ninety-five (95) counties of the state on a poverty population basis.
(d) The administrative office of the courts shall appoint a five-member advisory panel to facilitate communication and joint activities among grantees of the civil legal representation of indigents fund. The administrative office of the courts shall appoint panel members as follows:
(1) One (1) member shall be appointed from lists of nominees submitted by bar associations whose membership primarily consists of minority attorneys;
(2) One (1) member shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee Bar Association;
(3) One (1) member shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association;
(4) One (1) member shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the Tennessee conference on social welfare; and
(5) One (1) member shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the state court clerks conference.
[Acts 1995, ch. 550, § 2; 1999, ch. 502, § 3.]