§ 10-183. Same—Number; salaries; terms; qualifications; election; terms; additional judge; chief judge; additional compensation.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) [of this section], the number of judges of the State Court of Fulton County shall be the same as the combined total of the judges of the Civil Court of Fulton County and of the Criminal Court of Fulton County at the time of the creation of this court. The salaries, terms, qualifications and method of election, of the judges of the State Court of Fulton County shall be as provided for the judges of the Civil Court of Fulton County at the time of the creation of this court. The current term of office of each judge at the creation of the State Court of Fulton County shall be the same as provided by law prior to said court's creation.

(b)

In addition to the judges provided for in subsection (a), an additional judge is hereby provided for the Criminal Court of Fulton County. Such judge shall be appointed by the governor prior to the first day of the month following the month in which this subsection becomes effective, and such judge shall take office on said first day of such month. Such judge shall serve until January 1, 1977. A successor to such judge shall be elected at the general election in November 1976 for a term of six years beginning January 1, 1977, and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified. The successor to the appointed judge shall become a Judge of the State Court of Fulton County on January 2, 1977, when the State Court of Fulton County comes into existence as provided in this article. All future elections for such judge shall be held and conducted as is now or may hereafter be provided by law and the term shall be for six years and until a successor is elected and qualified. The qualifications of said additional judge shall be the same as are now provided for by law for the present or existing judges of said court, and his compensation shall be the same as that of the present or existing judges of said court, and said salary shall be paid to said judge out of the treasury of Fulton County in the same manner as the salary of the present or existing judges of said court is now paid. Said additional judge shall have the same powers, jurisdiction, duties and dignity as are now provided for the present judges.

An additional judge is added to the State Court of Fulton County, thereby increasing to nine the number of judges of said court. Such judge shall be appointed by the governor for a term beginning January 1, 1995, and expiring December 31, 1996, and until a successor is elected and qualified. A successor to the initial judge shall be elected in a manner provided by law for the election of judges of the state courts of this state at the general election in November 1996, for a term of four years beginning on January 1, 1997, and until the election and qualification of a successor in which their respective terms of office expire and shall serve for terms of four years and until their successors are elected and qualified. They shall take office on January 1 following the date of the election. Such elections shall be held and conducted in a manner provided by law for the election of judges of the state courts of this state. Said additional judge shall have and may exercise all powers, duties, dignity, jurisdiction, privileges, and immunities of the present judges of the State Court of Fulton County. The compensation, salary, and contingent expense allowances of said additional judge shall be the same as that of the other judges of the State Court of Fulton County. Any salary supplements heretofore enacted by Fulton County shall also be applicable to the additional judge provided for in this act.

(c)

The judges of the court shall, within 30 days of the effective date hereof, and thereafter during the first week in January of each successive year, by a majority vote, elect from their number a chief judge of the court to serve during the remainder of such year. A majority of the judges of said court may remove such chief judge from the office as chief judge, and may fill any vacancy occurring in the office of chief judge. Such chief judge shall be responsible for the administration and the expeditious disposition of the business of the court, and shall have power to make such rules as he shall deem necessary or proper for such purpose, but not in conflict with the general laws of this state, which rules, when entered on the minutes of said court, shall be binding upon the other judges of the court, until the same shall be overruled by an order signed by a majority of the judges of the court. Such chief judge, by published rule, or from time to time by order, may allocate the jurisdiction and powers of the court, and the duties of the judges thereof, among the judges of the court; may assign to the judges of said court such of the business of the court as he shall deem appropriate, provided that any assignment of cases to or among the other judges of the court shall be in accordance with a published rule of the court; may make and publish calendars; may require reports from the clerk of the court and the other judges of the court relative to business pending before the court; and generally shall supervise and direct the disposition of all the business of the court.

(d)

The chief judge of the court for his services as chief judge shall be paid from county funds the sum of $200.00 per month. This compensation for performing the duties of chief judge shall be in addition to his compensation as a judge of the court.

(1976 Ga. Laws (Act No. 1004), page 3023, § 6; 1980 Ga. Laws (Act No. 1164), page 3855, § 2; 1981 Ga. Laws (Act No. 224), page 3537, § 1; 1994 Ga. Laws (Act No. 731), page 3944, § 1)

State law reference

State court judges, O.C.G.A. § 15-7-20 et seq.; number of state court judges, O.C.G.A. § 15-7-20(a).

Editor's note

Provisions in the above section providing for a six-year term are superseded by O.C.G.A. § 15-7-20.