HB167.html

To provide for the division and allocation of duties among the judges of the superior courts of the Clayton Judicial Circuit; to provide for the power, authority, discretion, and performance of duties of the judges; to provide for the selection, service, and tenure of the chief judge of the circuit; to provide for the filling of vacancies in the position of chief judge; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

The judges of the superior courts of the Clayton Judicial Circuit of Georgia in transacting the business of said courts and in performing their duties and responsibilities shall share, divide, and allocate the work and duties to be performed by each. In the event that a majority of the judges cannot reach agreement in any respect thereof, the decision of the chief judge shall be controlling. The chief judge shall appoint the judge of the juvenile court as provided by law. The judges of the superior courts of the Clayton Judicial Circuit shall have and they are hereby clothed with full power, authority, and discretion to determine from time to time, and term to term, the manner of calling the dockets or fixing the calendars and order of business in said courts. They may assign to one or more of said judges the hearing of trials by jury for a term, and the hearing of all other matters not requiring a trial by jury to one or more of the other judges, and they may rotate such order of business at the next term. They may conduct trials by jury at the same time in the same county or otherwise within said circuit, or they may hear chambers business and motion business at the same time at any place within said circuit. They may provide in all respects for holding the superior courts of said circuit so as to facilitate the hearing and determination of all the business of said courts at any time pending and ready for trial or hearing. In all such matters relating to the business of said courts, and making appointments as authorized by law where the judges thereof cannot reach a majority decision, the opinion or order of the chief judge as hereinafter defined shall control.

(a) The superior court judge of the Clayton Judicial Circuit who has served the longest time as a superior court judge of the Clayton Judicial Circuit shall be the chief judge of the circuit effective the date hereof. Said chief judge shall serve until December 31, 2006. Thereafter the position of chief judge shall be rotated, with each term consisting of four years. The chief judge for the term beginning January 1, 2007, shall be the superior court judge (other than the chief judge who has just completed his or her term) who has served the longest continuous time as a superior court judge of the Clayton Judicial Circuit. If a judge has previously served as chief judge, the length of service for such judge shall be defined as his or her service as a superior court judge of the Clayton Judicial Circuit since the conclusion of his or her last term as chief judge. In the event there are two or more judges who have the same length of service, then the judge who has been admitted to the bar of the State of Georgia the longest time shall serve as chief judge.
(b) Should a judge be eligible and qualify to serve as chief judge but decline to do so, or should a judge while serving as chief judge desire to resign such position, he or she shall do so by notifying the other superior court judges of the Clayton Judicial Circuit in writing, and in such event, the next superior court judge in line would assume the position of chief judge.
(c) In the event of a vacancy in the position of chief judge during that judge´s term by death, resignation, or other disqualification of the current chief judge, then the next judge in line would assume the duties of chief judge for the remainder of that term and such judge assuming the duties would then serve the ensuing full four-year term as chief judge.