(a) The Colbert County governing body shall reimburse the office of the probate judge from the general fund of the county the amount of any monetary loss, not to exceed a total of twenty-five hundred dollars ($2,500) per annum, arising or caused by error, if the mistake or omission was caused without the personal knowledge of the judge of probate, including loss arising from acceptance of worthless or forged checks, drafts, money orders, or other written orders for money or its equivalent.
(b) It shall be the duty of the probate judge to ensure that his or her employees exercise due care in performing their duties and to make a diligent effort to correct the errors, mistake, or omission and collect the amount subject to potential loss immediately upon becoming aware of the potential loss. This section shall not apply to any deliberate misuse or misappropriation of funds by the probate judge or any clerk or employee of his or her office.