Opinion Number

Dear Mr. Barousse,

As Clerk of Court of Acadia Parish, you have requested an Attorney General's opinion as to whether you may hire an outside firm or individual to collect unpaid court costs owed to your office. These costs are court ordered and owed by various parties to litigation in Acadia Parish. Over the years a substantial amount of unpaid court costs has accumulated, and you would like to collect it. Your staff is overworked with its normal duties, and you are asking if you can retain an outside firm or individual to collect these unpaid court costs on a contingency basis, an hourly…