AL SB292

The Judicial System Study Commission shall establish criteria for determining whether judicial circuits need more or fewer judgeships and submit annual reports to the Chief Justice beginning January 1, 2016, detailing circuits with the greatest need and those with excess judges.

The Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court may reallocate a circuit judgeship to another circuit when a vacancy occurs due to death, retirement, resignation, or removal, considering the judicial study commission's recommendations.

Upon reallocation, remaining judgeships in the originating circuit shall be renumbered, and state funding for the judgeship shall follow it to the receiving circuit.

A vacancy created by reallocation shall be filled according to the laws of the circuit receiving the judgeship, with the appointed judge serving a required time period before being subject to election in that circuit.

Judges appointed under this act shall have all the jurisdiction, powers, rights, qualifications, and duties of other circuit judges and shall be compensated according to Chapter 10A of Title 12, Code of Alabama 1975.