1 SB173
2 216617-1
3 By Senators Whatley and Price
4 RFD: Finance and Taxation General Fund
5 First Read: 02-FEB-22
Page 0 1 216617-1:n:01/24/2022:CNB/bm LSA2022-296
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8 SYNOPSIS: Under existing law, there are currently 146
9 circuit judgeships in the state.
10 This bill would create additional circuit
11 judgeships in various judicial circuits throughout
12 the state.
13 Under existing law, there are currently 106
14 district judgeships in the state.
15 This bill would create additional district
16 judgeships in various counties throughout the
17 state.
18 This bill would also provide for the
19 authority of the judges and for the compensation
20 and benefits of the judges.
21
22 A BILL
23 TO BE ENTITLED
24 AN ACT
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26 Relating to courts; to provide for additional
27 circuit judgeships in various judicial circuits throughout the
Page 1 1 state; to provide for additional district judgeships in
2 various counties throughout the state; and to provide for the
3 authority of the judges and for the compensation and benefit
4 of the judges.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
6 Section 1. (a)(1) There is created an additional
7 circuit judgeship for the Fifth Judicial Circuit which shall
8 be designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 4.
9 (2) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
10 for the Sixth Judicial Circuit which shall be designated as
11 Circuit Judgeship Number 7.
12 (3) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
13 for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit which shall be designated as
14 Circuit Judgeship Number 4.
15 (4) There are created two additional circuit
16 judgeships for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit which shall be
17 designated as Circuit Judgeships Number 12 and 13.
18 (5) There are created two additional circuit
19 judgeships for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit which shall be
20 designated as Circuit Judgeships Number 4 and 5. The judges
21 appointed or elected to Judgeships Number 4 and 5 may reside
22 in any county within the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.
23 (6) There are created three additional circuit
24 judgeships for the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit which shall
25 be designated as Circuit Judgeships Number 8, 9, and 10.
Page 2 1 (7) There are created two additional circuit
2 judgeships for the Twenty-eighth Judicial Circuit which shall
3 be designated as Circuit Judgeships Number 6 and 7.
4 (8) There is created an additional circuit judgeship
5 for the Thirty-seventh Judicial Circuit which shall be
6 designated as Circuit Judgeship Number 4.
7 (b) Circuit Judgeship Number 4 in the Fifth Judicial
8 Circuit, Circuit Judgeship Number 7 in the Sixth Judicial
9 Circuit, Circuit Judgeship Number 4 in the Eleventh Judicial
10 Circuit, Circuit Judgeships Number 12 and 13 in the Thirteenth
11 Judicial Circuit, Circuit Judgeships Number 4 and 5 in the
12 Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Circuit Judgeships Number 8, 9,
13 and 10 in the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit, Circuit
14 Judgeships Number 6 and 7 in the Twenty-eighth Judicial
15 Circuit, and Circuit Judgeship Number 4 in the Thirty-seventh
16 Judicial Circuit shall be filled in accordance with the law in
17 effect on January 1, 2023.
18 (c) The initial judges appointed or elected to the
19 additional circuit judgeships created pursuant to subsection
20 (a) shall serve pursuant to Section 153 of the Constitution of
21 Alabama of 1901.
22 (d) The initial judges appointed or elected to the
23 additional circuit judgeships created pursuant to subsection
24 (a) shall have and shall exercise all the jurisdiction, power,
25 rights, and authority and shall possess all of the
26 qualifications, perform all of the duties, and shall be
Page 3 1 subject to all of the responsibilities and duties of the
2 office to which other circuit judges are subject.
3 (e) The annual compensation of the additional
4 circuit judges appointed or elected pursuant to subsection (a)
5 shall be in accordance with Chapter 10A of Title 12, Code of
6 Alabama 1975, including, but not limited to, the provision
7 that no circuit judge first appointed or elected to office
8 after October 1, 2001, shall be provided a salary supplement
9 or expense allowance.
10 Section 2. (a)(1) There is created an additional
11 district judgeship in the District Court of Baldwin County
12 which shall be designated as District Judgeship Number 3.
13 (2) There is created an additional district
14 judgeship in the District Court of Cullman County which shall
15 be designated as District Judgeship Number 3.
16 (3) There is created an additional district
17 judgeship in the District Court of DeKalb County which shall
18 be designated as District Judgeship Number 2.
19 (4) There is created an additional district
20 judgeship in the District Court of Etowah County which shall
21 be designated as District Judgeship Number 3.
22 (5) There is created an additional district
23 judgeship in the District Court of Madison County which shall
24 be designated as District Judgeship Number 5.
25 (6) There is created an additional district
26 judgeship in the District Court of Mobile County which shall
27 be designated as District Judgeship Number 6.
Page 4 1 (7) There is created an additional district
2 judgeship in the District Court of Shelby County which shall
3 be designated as District Judgeship Number 3.
4 (8) There is created an additional district
5 judgeship in the District Court of Tuscaloosa County which
6 shall be designated as District Judgeship Number 3.
7 (b) District Judgeship Number 3 in Baldwin County,
8 District Judgeship Number 3 in Cullman County, District
9 Judgeship Number 2 in DeKalb County, District Judgeship Number
10 3 in Etowah County, District Judgeship Number 5 in Madison
11 County, District Judgeship Number 6 in Mobile County, District
12 Judgeship Number 3 in Shelby County, and District Judgeship
13 Number 3 in Tuscaloosa County shall be filled in accordance
14 with the law in effect on January 1, 2023.
15 (c) The initial judges appointed or elected to the
16 additional district judgeships pursuant to subsection (a)
17 shall serve pursuant to Section 153 of the Constitution of
18 Alabama of 1901.
19 (d) The initial judges appointed or elected to the
20 additional district judgeships created pursuant to subsection
21 (a) shall have and shall exercise all the jurisdiction, power,
22 rights, and authority and shall possess all of the
23 qualifications, perform all of the duties, and shall be
24 subject to all of the responsibilities and duties of the
25 office to which other circuit judges are subject.
26 (e) The annual compensation of the additional
27 district judges appointed or elected pursuant to subsection
Page 5 1 (a) shall be in accordance with Chapter 10A of Title 12, Code
2 of Alabama 1975, including, but not limited to, the provision
3 that no district judge first appointed or elected to office
4 after October 1, 2001, shall be provided a salary supplement
5 or expense allowance.
6 Section 3. This act shall become effective January
7 1, 2023, following its passage and approval by the Governor,
8 or its otherwise becoming law.
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