§ 27-25-02 — Creation and composition of committee - Terms of office - Appointment - Vacancies

Vacancies.
1. A judicial nominating committee is hereby created to consist of six permanent
members and three temporary members.
2. The governor, the chief justice, and the president of the state bar association each
shall appoint two permanent members to the committee, one of whom is a judge or an
attorney authorized to practice law in the state and one of whom is not a judge, former
judge, or attorney. The term of each member is three years. Initially, as determined by
lot, two members shall serve for two years, and two members shall serve for one year.
At the end of the member's term, the appointing authority shall appoint a successor for
a full three-year term. No member may serve for more than two three-year terms. A
vacancy must be filled by the appointing authority for the remainder of the term. The
governor shall designate one of the members as chairman of the committee.
3. Each appointing authority shall appoint an additional temporary member, from the
judicial district having a vacancy, to serve on the committee for the time necessary to
fill the vacancy. If two or more vacancies in the office of district judge occur in one
district at the same time, the committee may submit a combined list to the governor.
4. The judicial nominating committee for vacancies in the office of supreme court judge
must be composed of the six permanent members. If two or more vacancies occur in
the office of the supreme court judge at the same time, the committee may submit a
combined list of candidates to the governor.
5. The executive director of the state bar association shall serve as nonvoting secretary
of the committee.