IV, Sec. 14 Bond; Special Bond of Master Commissioners

Master commissioners are court-appointed officials who handle money and property in certain legal cases, like foreclosure sales. This rule explains how they are financially protected against mistakes or misconduct through different types of bonds.

First, the Administrative Office of the Courts provides a general bond that covers all master commissioners as a group. This works like a safety net for their normal duties. But if a specific case needs extra protection, the court can require the master commissioner to get a special bond just for that situation. When this happens, the special bond takes over and the general bond no longer applies to that matter. The special bond has to be filed with the circuit court clerk, and a copy goes to the state courts' financial office each year.

Finally, if a master commissioner has employees who handle money coming in or going out, those employees must also be covered by a bond. This protects the funds in case an employee makes an error or acts dishonestly. Like the special bond, this employee bond must be filed with the circuit court clerk and reported to the state courts' financial office every year.

These rules exist to protect money that passes through the court system. They make sure someone is financially responsible if funds are lost, stolen, or mishandled.