AL SB176

The Judicial System Study Commission shall establish criteria for determining if judicial circuits need additional or fewer judgeships and submit an annual report to the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court by January 1 of each year, beginning in 2016.

Upon a vacancy in a circuit judgeship due to death, retirement, resignation, or removal, the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court may reallocate that judgeship to another circuit, considering the Judicial System Study Commission's recommendations.

State resources allocated to fund the reallocated judgeship shall continue to fund the position in the receiving circuit, and remaining judgeships in the original circuit shall be renumbered accordingly.

A vacancy created by reallocation shall be filled according to the law applicable to the circuit receiving the judgeship, and the appointed judge shall serve a required time period before becoming subject to election in that circuit.

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