§ 2-603. Duties of officers

   (a) Chief clerk. -- Subject to the direction of the Chief Judge of the District Court, the chief clerk of the District Court is responsible for the administration and day-to-day clerical operation of the District Court and its several divisions and locations. He shall perform the other duties prescribed by rule or law. He may delegate administrative duties to other clerical or administrative personnel of the District Court in a manner consistent with rule or law.

(b) Chief administrative clerk. -- The chief administrative clerk in each district is responsible to the chief clerk of the District Court and the administrative judge of the district for the maintenance and operation of the clerical staff and work within the district, including dockets, records, and all necessary papers.

(c) Assistance in preparation of statement of claim. --

   (1) When requested to do so, a clerk of the District Court shall advise and assist, as to procedural matters only, a person in the preparation of a statement of claim or other papers required to be filed in a civil action in which the amount in controversy does not exceed $ 2,500.

   (2) A clerk of the District Court is not liable to any person with respect to any advice or assistance in the preparation of any statement of claim.

(d) Mailing notice of dismissal, nolle prosequi, or stet. --

   (1) This subsection applies to:

      (i) A dismissal or nolle prosequi of a charge entered on the record in the District Court; and

      (ii) An indefinite postponement in the District Court of a trial of a charge by marking the charge "stet" on the docket.

   (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a dismissal or nolle prosequi of a charge is entered or a charge is stetted, a clerk of the court:

      (i) Subject to item (ii) of this paragraph, shall mail notice of the dismissal, nolle prosequi, or stet, as the case may be, to the defendant and the defendant's attorney of record if both the defendant and the defendant's attorney of record are not present in court when the dismissal or nolle prosequi of the charge is entered or the charge is stetted;

      (ii) May not mail a notice described in this subsection to the defendant if the defendant's whereabouts are unknown; and

      (iii) May not mail a notice described in this subsection to the defendant or the defendant's attorney of record if either is present in court when the dismissal or nolle prosequi of the charge is entered or the charge is stetted.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 26, § 149; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 2, § 1; 1976, ch. 578; 1988, ch. 302; 2010, ch. 160.