06 LC 25
4189
House
Bill 1148
By:
Representatives Amerson of the
9th,
Bridges of the
10th,
Reece of the
27th,
and Jenkins of the
8th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
the number of superior court judges for each judicial circuit, so as to create a
new superior court judgeship for the Enotah Judicial Circuit; to provide for the
initial appointment, election, and term of office of such judge; to provide for
the qualifications and for the compensation, salary, and expense allowance of
such judge to be paid by the State of Georgia and the counties comprising the
judicial circuit; to provide for jurors; to authorize the judges of said circuit
to divide and allocate the work and duties thereto and provide for the duties of
the chief judge and presiding judges; to provide for powers, duties, and
responsibilities of judges of said circuit; to provide for additional court
reporters and personnel and the compensation of such reporters and personnel; to
declare inherent authority; to provide effective dates; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number
of superior court judges for each judicial circuit, is amended by striking
paragraph (17.1) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
∀(17.1)
Enotah
Circuit 23∀
SECTION
2.
One
additional judge of the superior courts is added to the Enotah Judicial Circuit,
thereby increasing to three the number of judges of said circuit.
SECTION
3.
Said
additional judge shall be appointed by the Governor for a term beginning July 1,
2006, and continuing through December 31, 2008, and until his or her successor
is elected and qualified; such judge shall take office on the date of his or her
appointment by the Governor. His or her successor shall be elected in the
manner provided by law for the election of judges of the superior courts of this
state at the nonpartisan judicial election in 2008, for a term of four years
beginning on January 1, 2009, and until his or her successor is elected and
qualified. Future successors shall be elected at the nonpartisan judicial
election each four years after such election for terms of four years and until
their successors are elected and qualified. They shall take office on the first
day of January following the date of the election.
SECTION
4.
The
additional judge of the superior courts of the Enotah Judicial Circuit of
Georgia shall have and may exercise all powers, duties, dignity, jurisdiction,
privileges, and immunities of the present judges of the superior courts of this
state. Any of the judges of the Enotah Judicial Circuit may preside over any
cause, whether in their own or in other circuits, and perform any official act
as judge thereof, including sitting on appellate courts as provided by
law.
SECTION
5.
The
qualifications of such additional judge and his or her successors and his or her
compensation, salary, and expense allowance from the State of Georgia and from
the counties of the superior courts of the Enotah Judicial Circuit shall be the
same as are now provided by law for all other superior court judges. The
provisions, if any, enacted for the supplementation by the counties of said
circuit of the salary of the judges of the superior courts of the Enotah
Judicial Circuit shall also be applicable to the additional judge provided for
by this Act.
SECTION
6.
All
writs and processes in the superior courts of the Enotah Judicial Circuit shall
be returnable to the terms of said superior courts as they are now fixed and
provided by law, or as they may hereafter be fixed or determined by law, and all
terms of said courts shall be held in the same manner as though there were but
one judge, it being the intent and purpose of this Act to provide three judges
equal in jurisdiction and authority to attend and perform the functions, powers,
and duties of the judges of said superior courts and to direct and conduct all
hearings and trials in said courts.
SECTION
7.
Upon
and after qualification of the additional judge of the superior court of the
Enotah Judicial Circuit, the three judges of said court may adopt, promulgate,
amend, and enforce such rules of practice and procedure in consonance with the
Constitution and laws of the State of Georgia as they deem suitable and proper
for the effective transaction of the business of the court; and, in transacting
the business of the court and in performing their duties and responsibilities,
they shall share, divide, and allocate the work and duties to be performed by
each. In the event of a disagreement among the judges in respect hereof, the
majority shall rule, or failing a majority, the decision of the senior judge in
point of service, who shall be known as the chief judge, shall be
controlling.
SECTION
8.
The
drawing and impaneling of all jurors, whether grand, petit, or special, may be
by any of the judges of the superior court of said circuit; and they, or any one
of them, shall have full power and authority to draw and impanel jurors for
service in said courts so as to have jurors for the trial of cases before any of
said judges separately or before each of them at the same time.
SECTION
9.
The
three judges of the Enotah Judicial Circuit shall be authorized and empowered to
appoint an additional court reporter for such circuit, whose compensation shall
be as now or hereafter provided by law.
SECTION
10.
All
writs, processes, orders, subpoenas, and any other official paper issuing out of
the superior courts of the Enotah Judicial Circuit may bear teste in the name of
any judge of the Enotah Judicial Circuit, and when issued by and in the name of
any judge of said circuit shall be fully valid and may be heard and determined
before the same or any other judge of said circuit. Any judge of said circuit
may preside over any case therein and perform any official act as judge
thereof.
SECTION
11.
Upon
request of any judge of the circuit, the governing authorities of the counties
comprising the Enotah Judicial Circuit are authorized to furnish the judges of
said circuit with suitable courtrooms and facilities, office space, telephones,
furniture, office equipment, supplies, and such personnel as may be considered
necessary by the court to the proper function of the court. All of the
expenditures authorized in this Act are declared to be an expense of the court
and payable out of the county treasury as such.
SECTION
12.
Nothing
in this Act shall be deemed to limit or restrict the inherent powers, duties,
and responsibilities of superior court judges provided by the Constitution and
statutes of the State of Georgia.
SECTION
13.
(a)
For purposes of making the initial appointment of the judge to fill the superior
court judgeship created by this Act, this Act shall become effective upon its
approval by the Governor or its becoming law without such
approval.
(b) For all other purposes, this Act shall become effective July 1, 2006.
(b) For all other purposes, this Act shall become effective July 1, 2006.
SECTION
14.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.