H.B. 1298 Summary

• Changes the intermediate appellate court from five associate judges to four associate judges, keeping the chief judge position.

• Removes numbered designations (first judge, second judge, etc.) for circuit court and district court judges; all judges in each court are now simply styled as "judge of the circuit court" or "judge of the district court" of their respective circuits.

• Increases district judges in the second circuit from three to four judges and in the fifth circuit from two to three judges.

• Eliminates the supreme court's authority to summarily remove district family judges from office based on public good or reduced caseload; district family judges now serve six-year terms without this removal provision.

• Clarifies that the supreme court may establish (rather than "may establish") district family courts in each judicial circuit.