The judge of the circuit court of each judicial circuit or division may appoint a person to be known as “court officer and bailiff” or “special court officer”. Each of the persons so appointed shall be removable by the judge by whom the person is appointed, except as otherwise provided. In the first circuit one of the persons so appointed shall be designated as “chief court officer and bailiff”, and another as “assistant chief court officer and bailiff”.

The court officers and bailiffs or special court officers shall attend upon the trial of causes, keep order in the courtroom and judiciary building, serve notices and other process of the court as directed by any judge of the court, summon jurors and under the supervision of the respective courtroom clerks, have custody over juries and perform any other duties in and around the court as shall be from time to time required of them by the presiding judges or by rule of court. They shall be in attendance during all sessions of the court and perform other duties during business hours or during emergencies as may be required of them by the respective judges, absenting themselves only upon special permission from the judge presiding in the court or from the chief court officer and bailiff.

They shall receive for their services salaries as provided by law. They shall not be entitled to any fees for the service of process or for the performance of any other service, but where fees are chargeable by law for such services, such fees shall become a general governmental realization. If required to serve any notice or process they shall be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable actual expenses for transportation, to be paid out of circuit court expenses, in such sums as may be approved by a judge of the court.

In the performance of their duties they shall have the general powers of a police officer, including all of the authority, powers, and duties as set forth in chapter 803; provided they shall not interfere with the work of the sheriff, the chiefs of police or their deputies in the service of any process for which fees are paid.

An appointee under this section who, at the time of the appointment, is a member of any pension or retirement fund provided by law shall continue as such member after the appointment with the same rights to prior and subsequent service credit as if the appointee had remained in the service of the State or county in any former service.