08 LC
38 0507/AP
House
Bill 1011 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By:
Representatives Williams of the
165th,
Barnard of the
166th,
and Stephens of the
164th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend an Act establishing the State Court of Liberty County (formerly the City
Court of Hinesville), approved August 9, 1916 (Ga. L. 1916, p. 232), as amended,
particularly by an Act approved March 9, 1959 (Ga. L. 1959, p. 2560), so as to
establish the office of judge of the State Court of Liberty County as a
full-time office; to provide for the remaining term of the current judge; to
provide that successor judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; to
provide for qualifications; to provide for the judge´s salary; to provide
an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
An
Act establishing the State Court of Liberty County (formerly the City Court of
Hinesville), approved August 9, 1916 (Ga. L. 1916, p. 232), as amended,
particularly by an Act approved March 9, 1959 (Ga. L. 1959, p. 2560), is amended
by striking Section 4 in its entirety and inserting in its place a new Section 4
to read as follows:
"SECTION
4.
(a)
There shall be a judge of the State Court of Liberty County. The judge of the
State Court of Liberty County serving on the effective date of this Act shall
continue to serve for the remainder of his or her term and until his or her
successor has been duly elected and qualified. Thereafter, successors to judges
of the State Court of Liberty County whose terms of office are to expire shall
be nominated in a nonpartisan general primary and elected at the nonpartisan
general election immediately preceding such expiration of term, shall take
office the first day of January immediately following such election, and shall
serve for a term of office of four years and until the election and
qualification of a successor.
(b)
The judge of said court shall have such qualifications and shall be subject to
such restrictions and discipline as provided in Chapter 7 of Title 15 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated. He or she shall be vested with all the
power and authority of the judges of the state courts by Chapter 7 of Title 15
of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
(c)
The judge of said court shall devote full time to the duties of office, and
shall not engage in the private practice of law. Said judge shall be paid a
minimum annual salary in an amount equal to the annual base salary set by the
General Assembly for judges of the superior courts, together with such other
supplements, if any, as may be deemed appropriate from time to time by the
governing authority of Liberty County. Said salary shall be payable out of the
funds of Liberty County in equal monthly installments."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.