Criminal court judges are under investigation for possibly padding their incomes for using a judicial expense fund.

New Orleans- State Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has opened a probe into whether Orleans Parish Criminal District Court judges illegally padded their incomes by using a judicial expense fund to buy high-dollar health and life insurance policies, trips and other things of value. According to court documents in an unrelated criminal case, District Attorney Leon Cannizarro referred an investigation into the collection and use of the funds to Caldwell's office on Aug. 4.

The exact focus of the investigation is unclear. But this summer, the Metropolitan Crime Commission asked the state legislative auditor to review expense funds in both criminal and civil courts in Orleans Parish. The money in the fund comes from fees paid by criminal convicts.

Criminal court judges in New Orleans are under investigation for their use of an account funded with fees paid by criminal defendants.

The 12 criminal court judges in Orleans Parish make $130,000 a year.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2011/10/louisiana_attorney_general_loo.html