Pennsylvania Statutes Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure § 3526. Release of funds

(a) General rule.--Each recipient of funds appropriated to the unified judicial system shall, from time to time, as requested by the Administrative Office, prepare and submit to the Administrative Office, for approval or disapproval by the governing authority, an estimate of the amount of money required and the levels of activity and accomplishment for each program carried on by such recipient during the ensuing month, quarter, or such other period as the governing authority shall prescribe. All available Federal funds and funds from other sources shall be characterized as such and shall be included in the estimated expenditures which must be submitted to the Administrative Office before any expenditures therefrom may be made. If such estimate does not meet with the approval of the governing authority, it shall be revised in accordance with the directions of the governing authority and resubmitted for approval. The governing authority may establish an authorized personnel complement level in conjunction with the approved expenditure estimate.

(b) Observance of approved estimate.--After the approval of any such estimate, it shall be unlawful for the recipient of funds appropriated to the unified judicial system to expend any appropriation, Federal funds or funds from other sources, or part thereof, except in accordance with such estimate and the authorized complement level, unless the same be revised with the approval of the governing authority and within the limits appropriated by the General Assembly.

(c) Penalty.--If any recipient to which subsections (a) and (b) apply shall fail or refuse to submit to the Administrative Office estimates of expenditures as required by this section, the governing authority may order the Administrative Office to withhold disbursement of any funds appropriated to the unified judicial system for such recipient, and thereupon the Administrative Office shall withhold disbursement of any such funds until further order of the governing authority.