1. (a) There is a Maryland Legal Services Corporation Fund.
2. (b) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall administer the Fund.
3. (c) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7-302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

4. (d) The Fund consists of:

   1. (1) money deposited to the Fund from the surcharge assessed in civil cases under §§ 7-202 and 7-301 of the Courts Article;
   2. (2) money distributed to the Fund under § 17-317 of the Commercial Law Article;
   3. (3) interest on attorney trust accounts paid to the Fund under § 10-303 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article; and
   4. (4) investment earnings of the Fund.
5. (e) The Corporation shall use the Fund to provide funding for civil legal services to indigents under this title.

6. (f) The Treasurer shall:

   1. (1) invest and reinvest the Fund in the same manner as other State funds; and
   2. (2) credit any investment earnings to the Fund and may not charge interest against the Fund if the average daily net cash balance for the month is less than zero.
7. (g) Expenditures from the Fund shall be made in accordance with an appropriation requested by the Judicial Branch of the State government under § 7-108 of the State Finance and Procurement Article and approved by the General Assembly in the State budget or by the budget amendment procedure under § 7-208.1 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

Added by Acts 2007, c. 3, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2007. Amended by Acts 2012, c. 711, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Acts 2013, c. 552, § 1, eff. July 1, 2013; Acts 2013, c. 553, § 1, eff. July 1, 2013; Acts 2017, c. 839, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017; Acts 2021, c. 806, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 807, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021.