(1) The district attorney of each judicial district is authorized to appoint a chief investigator and such other investigators as he may deem necessary in the conduct of his office and such stenographers, office employees, and other technical and professional assistants as are necessary to properly transact the business of his office. The salary and compensation in each instance for such employees and assistants shall be fixed by such district attorney in an amount commensurate with the services performed and the duties and responsibilities of such employees, subject to the approval of the board of county commissioners of the county or the city council of a city and county affected.
(2) The salaries of any personnel so appointed shall be paid by the various counties within the judicial district, each county paying its proportionate part of said salaries as the population of such county bears to the whole population of such judicial district, according to the last preceding federal census.
Source: L. 45: p. 314, § 2. CSA: C. 55, § 15 (1). CRS 53: § 45-3-15. C.R.S. 1963: § 45-3-13. L. 67: p. 598, § 5.
ANNOTATION
District court has power to appoint counsel to assist district attorney in criminal trials, the exercise of such power not being prohibited by statute, and belonging to the court independent of any express statutory grant or sanction. Bd. of Comm'rs v. Crump, 18 Colo. App. 59, 70 P. 159 (1902).
The exercise of the power to appoint counsel to assist the district attorneys is of course discretionary with the court, and this discretion is subject to review in the appellate tribunals as in other cases. Bd. of Comm'rs v. Crump, 18 Colo. App. 59, 70 P. 159 (1902).
Compensation. Where counsel was appointed by the district court to assist the district attorney in the prosecution of a criminal case, an allowance by the court of compensation to such counsel for his services is at least prima facie evidence of the value of the services. Bd. of Comm'rs v. Crump, 18 Colo. App. 59, 70 P. 159 (1902).
District attorney not bound by union agreements entered by county. The district attorney is a state officer serving in a particular judicial district, independent of the county government, with authority to hire and fire his own employees, and since the district attorney is not an agent or employee of the county, union agreements entered into by the county are not binding upon him. Anderson v. County of Adams, 41 Colo. App. 441, 592 P.2d 3 (1978).
Applied in Beacom v. Bd. of County Comm'rs, 657 P.2d 440 (Colo. 1983).