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05 LC 29 1733

House Bill 609

By: Representatives Crawford of the 127th, Richardson of the 19th, and Willard of the 49th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Chapter 1 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions for courts, so as to change provisions relating to requesting judicial assistance from other courts; to provide for consideration in selecting judges for assistance; to change certain provisions relating to senior judge status and requesting assistance from a senior judge; to change provisions relating to senior judgeś compensation; to change provisions relating to senior judges in state court, probate court, or juvenile court; to create terms for senior judges to serve; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 1 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions for courts, is amended by striking subsection (b) of Code Section 15-1-9.1, relating to requesting judicial assistance from other courts, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"(b) In seeking to obtain judicial assistance, consideration should first be given to judges available within the county or circuit, then to judges available in the adjoining counties or circuits.

(1) If assistance is needed from a judge outside of the county, a superior court judge of this state or the chief judge of a class of courts other than an appellate court may make a request for judicial assistance in the court served by said requesting judge to the administrative judge of the judicial administrative district in which said requesting judgés court is located, if any of the following circumstances arises:

(A) A judge of the requesting court is disqualified for any cause from presiding in any matter pending before the court;

(B) A judge of the requesting court is unable to preside because of disability, illness, or absence; or

(C) A majority of the judges of the requesting court determines that the business of the court requires the temporary assistance of an additional judge or additional judges.

(2) If assistance is needed from a judge from the same county, the chief judge of any court within such county of this state may make a written request for assistance to the chief judge of any other court within such county, a senior judge of the superior court, a retired judge, or a judge emeritus of any court within the county. The request by the chief judge may be made if one of the following circumstances arises:

(A) A judge of the requesting court is disqualified for any cause from presiding in any matter pending before the court;

(B) A judge of the requesting court is unable to preside because of disability, illness, or absence;

(C) A majority of the judges of the requesting court determines that the business of the court requires the temporary assistance of an additional judge or additional judges; or

(D) A majority of the judges of the requesting court determines that the business of the court requires the permanent assistance of an additional judge or additional judges. If the requesting court is a state or superior court, the assisting judge or assisting judges may hear and decide matters otherwise in the exclusive jurisdiction of the state or superior court without regard to time, type of case, or limitations contained in the rules of such state or superior court; provided, however, that a chief magistrate or magistrate may serve as a permanent assisting judge only in counties having a population of 180,000 or more according to the United States decennial census of 1990 or any future such census.

(3) When a petition for habeas corpus is filed challenging for the first time state court proceedings resulting in a death sentence, the clerk of the superior court acting on behalf of the chief judge shall make a request for judicial assistance to the president of The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. Within 30 days of receipt of a request for judicial assistance, the president of The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia shall, under guidelines promulgated by the executive committee of said council, assign the case to a judge of a circuit other than the circuit in which the conviction and sentence were imposed.

(4) In petitions under this article challenging for a second or subsequent time a state court proceeding resulting in a death sentence, the chief judge of the court where the petition is filed may make a request for judicial assistance to the president of The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia upon certifying that the business of the court will be impaired unless assistance is obtained. Within 30 days of receipt of a request for judicial assistance, the president of The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia shall, under guidelines promulgated by the executive committee of said council, assign the case to a judge of a circuit other than the circuit in which the conviction and sentence were imposed."

SECTION 2.

Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 15-1-9.2, relating to senior judge status, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"15-1-9.2.

(a) The office of senior judge of the superior courts is created, and judges of the superior courts or former judges of the superior courts may become senior judges as follows:

(1) Any judge of the superior courts who retires pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 8 or Chapter 23 of Title 47 and any such judge who receives a disability retirement benefit under such chapter may become a senior judge beginning on the effective date of the judgés retirement; and

(2) Any judge of the superior courts, whether or not said judge is a member of the retirement system created by Chapter 23 of Title 47, who ceases holding office as a judge of the superior courts and who has at least ten years of service as a judge of the superior courts at the time of ceasing to hold office and who is not eligible for appointment to the office of senior judge under any other law of this state may become a senior judge.

(a.1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section, any Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, Judge of the Court of Appeals, superior court judge, state court judge, magistrate court judge, or juvenile court judge who ceases holding office as a judge and who has a total of ten years of service in any combination of such offices or a total of nine years of service in any combination of such offices plus at least one year of service as chairperson of the State Board of Workerś Compensation may become a senior judge. Said combination must include at least five yearś service as a Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or judge of the superior court or at least five years as total served in combination as Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or judge of the superior court.

(a.2) Senior judge status as provided in this Code section shall be acquired by a qualified former judgés applying to the Governor for appointment as senior judge. Upon making a determination of need for additional judicial assistance in the county or circuit previously served by the retiring judge, the The Governor shall appoint each qualified applicant as a senior judge. Such appointment shall be for a term of two years; provided, however, that the Governor may appoint a senior judge to serve more than one term.

(b) The chief judge of any appellate or superior court of this state may make a written request for assistance to a senior judge. The request by the chief judge may be made if one of the following circumstances arise:

(1) A judge of the requesting court is disqualified for any cause from presiding in any matter pending before the court;

(2) A judge of the requesting court is unable to preside because of disability, illness, or absence; or

(3) A majority of the judges of the requesting court determines that the business of the court requires the temporary assistance of an additional judge or additional judges as provided for in Code Section 15-1-9.1.

(c) An active judge may call upon a senior judge to serve in an emergency or when the volume of cases or other unusual circumstances cause such service to be necessary in order to provide for the speedy and efficient disposition of the business of the circuit.

(d)(1) Senior judges serving as judges of an appellate or superior court under this Code section or any other provision of law shall receive compensation from state funds for each day of service, in the amount on an hourly basis, based upon 80 percent of the annual state salary of a judge of the applicable court, divided by 235. Such compensation shall be calculated based on 235 work days per year. In addition to such compensation, such senior judges shall receive their actual expenses or, at the judgés option, in the event of service outside the county of the judgés residence, the same per diem expense authorized by law for members of the General Assembly and shall receive mileage at the same rate as other state employees for such services. Such compensation, expenses, and mileage shall be paid from state funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the appellate or superior courts, upon a certificate by the senior judge as to the number of days hours served or the expenses and mileage. Such compensation shall not affect, diminish, or otherwise impair the payment or receipt of any retirement or pension benefits, when applicable, of such judge.

(2) Senior judges serving as judges of any court other than an appellate or superior court under this Code section or any other provision of law shall receive compensation for each day of service, in the amount on an hourly basis, based upon 80 percent of the annual salary of a judge of the applicable court, divided by 235. Such compensation shall be calculated based on 235 work days per year. In addition to such compensation, such senior judges shall receive their actual expenses or, at the judgés option, in the event of service outside the county of the judgés residence, the same per diem expense authorized by law for members of the General Assembly and shall receive mileage at the same rate as state employees for such services. Such compensation, expenses, and mileage shall be paid from funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the applicable court, upon a certificate by the senior judge as to the number of days hours served or the expenses and mileage. Such compensation shall not affect, diminish, or otherwise impair the payment or receipt of any retirement or pension benefits, when applicable, of such judge."

SECTION 3.

Said chapter is further amended by striking subsection (c) of Code Section 15-1-9.3, relating to senior judges in state court, probate court, or juvenile court, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

"(c) Senior judge status shall be acquired by a qualified former judgés applying to the Governor for appointment as senior judge. Upon making a determination of need for additional judicial assistance in the county previously served by the retiring judge, the The Governor shall appoint each qualified applicant as a senior judge. Such appointment shall be for a term of two years; provided, however, that the Governor may appoint a senior judge to serve more than one term."

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.