§ 16-13-2803 — Judges and chancellors

(a) The qualified electors of the Twentieth Judicial District shall elect: (1) One (1) circuit judge; (2) One (1) chancellor; and (3) One (1) circuit-chancery judge. (b) (1) The judgeship created by subdivision (a)(3) of this section shall be the judge of the juvenile division of chancery court and shall be designated division 2 in all jurisdictions. (2) The judge shall devote such time as may be required to perform the duties of judge of the juvenile division, which duties shall be the primary obligation of the judge, and shall sit as judge of the circuit, chancery, or probate court as time permits. (c) The circuit judgeship created by subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be a circuit-chancery judgeship which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate and shall be designated division 1 in all jurisdictions. (d) Effective January 1, 1997, the chancery judgeship created by subdivision (a)(2) of this section shall become a circuit-chancery judgeship which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate and shall be designated division 3 in all jurisdictions. (e) There is hereby created in the Twentieth Judicial District an additional circuit-chancery judgeship, which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate and shall be designated division 4 in all jurisdictions. (f) (1) Effective July 1, 2007, there is created in the Twentieth Judicial District an additional circuit judgeship that shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, probate, and juvenile matters. (2) The Governor shall appoint a qualified person who is a resident of the district to temporarily fill the Twentieth Judicial District circuit judgeship created by subdivision (f)(1) of this section, and the appointed person shall serve until January 1, 2009, or until a successor has been elected and qualified. (3) (A) The qualified electors of the district shall elect the additional circuit judge created by subdivision (f)(1) of this section at the 2008 preferential primary election to take office on January 1, 2009. (B) The additional circuit judge shall be elected from the district, shall satisfy the same qualifications for holding office, and shall receive the same salary, expenses, and other allowances as provided by law for judges of the circuit courts. (C) The circuit judge shall serve for elected terms of six (6) years. (4) The counties that compose the Twentieth Judicial District shall provide courtroom and office facilities and supplies for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by subdivision (f)(1) of this section, which shall be paid out of the county treasuries in the same manner as other demands against the counties and out of funds appropriated by the respective quorum courts of the counties for these purposes. (5) There shall be provided for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by subdivision (f)(1) of this section a court reporter and a trial court administrative assistant whose salaries shall be fixed and paid in the manner provided by law for court reporters and trial court administrative assistants of the circuit courts of this state.

Legislative History

Acts 1977, No. 432, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, § 22-365; Acts 1989, No. 949, § 1; 1993, No. 131, § 1; 1995, No. 170, §§ 1, 4; 2007, No. 168, § 4.