Article 5. District Attorney’s Special Fund of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 3. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 5.

There is a district attorney's special appropriation in each county.

At the beginning of each fiscal year in counties having a population of 90,000 or more, the board of supervisors shall make available to the district attorney's special appropriation an amount sufficient to make the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in the special appropriation. The board may transfer additional amounts to the special appropriation.

At the beginning of each fiscal year in all other counties, the board of supervisors shall make available to the district attorney's special appropriation an amount sufficient to make the sum in the district attorney's special appropriation the amount determined by the board, not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).

The population basis is that fixed by the last decennial federal census.

The district attorney shall only use the special appropriation to pay:
  (a) Expenses lawfully incurred in criminal cases arising in the county.
  (b) Expenses lawfully incurred in the detection of crime, other than those declared to be misdemeanors by the Vehicle Code.
  (c) Expenses lawfully incurred in civil actions or proceedings.

On the presentation by the district attorney of his requisition to the auditor, the auditor shall draw his warrant in favor of the district attorney on the special appropriation for such amounts as the district attorney requires. The treasurer shall pay the warrant.

The district attorney shall file vouchers with the auditor at the end of each fiscal year, and may file vouchers from time to time during the year, showing the disposition he has made of any money received from the special appropriation and the particular purpose for which it was spent. If at the end of the fiscal year a criminal proceeding is pending or under investigation, the vouchers as to any money spent in the proceeding or investigation need not be filed until the trial of the proceeding is ended or the investigation concluded.

The district attorney's special appropriation is in addition to any other appropriations at his disposal, and this article does not limit or affect any provision of law relative to the expenses of the district attorney which are incurred by him and paid as other county claims after allowance by the board of supervisors.

This article does not apply to any county operating under a charter making provision for a similar appropriation.