Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB515 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 47 3414
2	2	House Bill 515
3	3	By: Representatives Newton of the 127
4	4	th
5	5	, Prince of the 132
6	6	nd
7	7	, Myles of the 126
8	8	th
9	9	, Howard of
10	10	the 129
11	11	th
12	12	, and Heffner of the 130
13	13	th
14	14
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
18	18	1
19	19	number of judges of superior courts, so as to provide for a sixth judge of the superior courts2
20	20	of the Augusta Judicial Circuit; to provide for the appointment of such additional judge by3
21	21	the Governor; to provide for the election of successors to the judge initially appointed; to4
22	22	prescribe the powers of such judge; to prescribe the compensation, salary, and expense5
23	23	allowance of such judge to be paid by the State of Georgia and the counties comprising said6
24	24	circuit; to authorize the judges of such circuit to divide and allocate the work and duties7
25	25	thereof; to provide for the manner of impaneling jurors; to provide for an additional court8
26	26	reporter for such circuit; to authorize the governing authority of the counties comprising the9
27	27	Augusta Judicial Circuit to provide facilities, office space, supplies, equipment, and10
28	28	personnel for such judges; to declare inherent authority; to provide for related matters; to11
29	29	provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.12
30	30	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:13
31	31	SECTION 1.14
32	32	Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number of15
33	33	judges of superior courts, is amended by revising paragraph (5) as follows:16
34	34	H. B. 515
35	35	- 1 - 25 LC 47 3414
36	36	"(5) Augusta Circuit.................................................5 6"17
37	37	SECTION 2.18
38	38	One additional judge of the superior courts is added to the Augusta Judicial Circuit, thereby19
39	39	increasing to six the number of judges of said circuit.20
40	40	SECTION 3.21
41	41	Said additional judge shall be appointed by the Governor for a term beginning22
42	42	January 1, 2026, and continuing through December 31, 2028, and until his or her successor23
43	43	is elected and qualified. His or her successor shall be elected in the manner provided by law24
44	44	for the election of judges of the superior courts of this state at the nonpartisan judicial25
45	45	election in 2028 for a term of four years beginning on January 1, 2029, and until his or her26
46	46	successor is elected and qualified. Future successors shall be elected at the nonpartisan27
47	47	judicial election every four years thereafter for terms of four years and until their successors28
48	48	are elected and qualified. The newly elected and qualified judge shall take office on the first29
49	49	day of January following the date of the election.30
50	50	SECTION 4.31
51	51	The additional judge of the superior courts of the Augusta Judicial Circuit shall have and32
52	52	may exercise all powers, duties, dignities, jurisdiction, privileges, and immunities of the33
53	53	present judges of the superior courts of this state. Any judge of the Augusta Judicial Circuit34
54	54	may preside over any cause, whether in their own or in other circuits, and perform any35
55	55	official act as judge thereof, including sitting on appellate courts as provided by law.36
56	56	SECTION 5.37
57	57	The qualifications of such additional judge and his or her successors shall be the same as are38
58	58	now provided by law for all other superior court judges, and his or her compensation, salary,39
59	59	H. B. 515
60	60	- 2 - 25 LC 47 3414
61	61	and expense allowance from the State of Georgia and from the counties comprising the
62	62	40
63	63	Augusta Judicial Circuit shall be the same as are now provided by law for the other superior41
64	64	court judges of such circuit. The provisions, if any, enacted for the supplementation by the42
65	65	counties of such circuit of the salary of the judges of the superior courts of the Augusta43
66	66	Judicial Circuit shall also be applicable to the additional judge provided for by this Act.44
67	67	SECTION 6.45
68	68	All writs and processes in the superior courts of the Augusta Judicial Circuit shall be46
69	69	returnable to the terms of such superior courts as they are now fixed and provided by law,47
70	70	or as they may hereafter be fixed or determined by law, and all terms of such courts shall be48
71	71	held in the same manner as though there were but one judge, it being the intent and purpose49
72	72	of this Act to provide six judges equal in jurisdiction and authority to attend and perform the50
73	73	functions, powers, and duties of the judges of such superior courts and to direct and conduct51
74	74	all hearings and trials in such courts.52
75	75	SECTION 7.53
76	76	Upon and after qualification of the additional judge of the superior courts of the Augusta54
77	77	Judicial Circuit, the judges of such circuit may adopt, promulgate, amend, and enforce such55
78	78	rules of practice and procedure in consonance with the Constitution and laws of the State of56
79	79	Georgia as they deem suitable and proper for the effective transaction of the business of the57
80	80	court; and, in transacting the business of the court and in performing their duties and58
81	81	responsibilities, they shall share, divide, and allocate the work and duties to be performed by59
82	82	each. In the event of a disagreement among the judges in respect hereof, the decision of a60
83	83	majority shall control, or, in the absence of a majority, the decision of the chief judge shall61
84	84	be controlling. The judges of the superior courts of the Augusta Judicial Circuit shall have62
85	85	and are clothed with full power, authority, and discretion to determine from time to time and63
86	86	term to term the manner of calling the dockets, fixing the calendars, and order of business64
87	87	H. B. 515
88	88	- 3 - 25 LC 47 3414
89	89	in such courts. They may assign to one such judge the hearing of trials by jury for a term and
90	90	65
91	91	the hearing of all other matters not requiring a trial by jury to the other judges, and they may66
92	92	rotate such order of business at the next term. They may conduct trials by jury at the same67
93	93	time in the same county or otherwise within such circuit, or they may hear chambers business68
94	94	and motion business at the same time at any place within such circuit. They may provide in69
95	95	all respects for holding the superior courts of such circuit so as to facilitate the hearing and70
96	96	determination of all the business of such courts at any time pending and ready for trial or71
97	97	hearing. In all such matters relating to the fixing, arranging for, and disposing of the72
98	98	business of such courts and making appointments as authorized by law where the judges73
99	99	thereof cannot agree or shall differ, the opinion or order of the chief judge as provided for74
100	100	in this Act shall control.75
101	101	SECTION 8.76
102	102	The drawing and impaneling of all jurors, whether grand, petit, or special, may be conducted77
103	103	by any of the judges of the superior courts of such circuit; and they, or any one such judge,78
104	104	shall have full power and authority to draw and impanel jurors for service in such courts so79
105	105	as to have jurors for the trial of cases before any such judges separately or before each of80
106	106	them at the same time.81
107	107	SECTION 9.82
108	108	The judges of the superior courts of the Augusta Judicial Circuit shall be authorized and83
109	109	empowered to appoint an additional court reporter for such circuit, whose compensation shall84
110	110	be as now or hereafter provided by law.85
111	111	H. B. 515
112	112	- 4 - 25 LC 47 3414
113	113	SECTION 10.
114	114	86
115	115	All writs, processes, orders, subpoenas, and any other official paper issuing out of the87
116	116	superior courts of the Augusta Judicial Circuit may bear teste in the name of any judge of the88
117	117	Augusta Judicial Circuit and, when issued by and in the name of any judge of such circuit,89
118	118	shall be fully valid and may be heard and determined before the same or any other judge of90
119	119	such circuit. Any judge of such circuit may preside over any case therein and perform any91
120	120	official act as judge thereof.92
121	121	SECTION 11.93
122	122	Upon request of any judge of the circuit, the governing authorities of the counties comprising94
123	123	the Augusta Judicial Circuit shall be authorized to furnish the judges of such circuit with95
124	124	suitable courtrooms and facilities, office space, telephones, furniture, office equipment,96
125	125	supplies, and such personnel as may be considered necessary by the court to the proper97
126	126	functioning of the court. All of the expenditures authorized in this Act are declared to be an98
127	127	expense of the court and payable out of the county treasury as such.99
128	128	SECTION 12.100
129	129	Except as expressly stated, nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter or repeal any101
130	130	provision of any local Act relating to the Augusta Judicial Circuit. Nothing in this Act shall102
131	131	be deemed to limit or restrict the inherent powers, duties, and responsibilities of superior103
132	132	court judges provided by the Constitution and statutes of the State of Georgia.104
133	133	SECTION 13.105
134	134	This Act shall become effective for the purposes of appointing the additional judge upon its106
135	135	approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval, and for all other107
136	136	purposes on January 1, 2026.108
137	137	H. B. 515
138	138	- 5 - 25 LC 47 3414
139	139	SECTION 14.
140	140	109
141	141	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.110
142	142	H. B. 515
143	143	- 6 -