SB10: SB10 Superior Courts of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit; additional judge; provide

Currently, superior court judges in Georgia are elected under rules set out in O.C.G.A. Title 15. This bill adds a new Code section, 15-6-37, that applies to any judicial circuit with 15 or more superior court judges. In those circuits, the counties that make up the circuit can choose to pay for up to five additional judicial officers to help the superior courts. If a county funds these positions, the circuit's chief judge, after talking with a majority of the circuit's superior court judges, can appoint people who meet the same qualifications required of superior court judges, but these appointees are not elected. They get most of the powers and duties of a superior court judge, except they cannot handle serious violent felony cases, and the chief judge can add further limits on their role. Appointments last up to two years and can be renewed. The judicial officers are county employees, not state employees, and the counties are responsible for their pay, benefits, and expenses.

• Creates a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-37) allowing counties in superior court circuits with 15 or more judges to fund up to five extra judicial officers.
• Lets the circuit's chief judge appoint these judicial officers after consulting a majority of the circuit's superior court judges, without an election.
• Requires appointees to meet the same qualifications as elected superior court judges under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-4.
• Bars these judicial officers from presiding over serious violent felony cases as defined in O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1, and allows the chief judge to set further limits.
• Sets appointment terms at up to two years, renewable, and makes the judicial officers county employees rather than state employees responsible for their own pay and benefits.

This affects large superior court circuits with 15 or more judges, the county governments that make up those circuits, current superior court judges and chief judges who oversee appointments, and the newly appointed judicial officers themselves, who would work as county employees rather than elected judges.

Counties in Georgia's busiest judicial circuits could add extra judicial help to manage caseloads without waiting for new elected judgeships, but these officers would be appointed rather than elected, funded locally, and barred from handling the most serious violent felony cases.

• Section 1 adds Code Section 15-6-37 to Title 15, applying only to judicial circuits with 15 or more superior court judges as counted under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-2.
• Subsection (a) authorizes county governing authorities in such circuits to fund up to five judicial officers.
• Subsection (b) lets the chief judge appoint judicial officers who meet superior court judge qualifications but are not elected.
• Subsection (c) gives judicial officers the powers and duties of a superior court judge but bars them from serious violent felony cases and allows the chief judge to add limits.
• Subsection (d) caps appointment terms at two years, with the option for reappointment.
• Subsection (e) makes judicial officers county employees, not state employees, with counties responsible for their compensation and expenses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-27Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
2. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (House)
4. 2025-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
5. 2025-02-26House Second Readers (House)
6. 2025-02-24House First Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-21Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2025-02-21Senate Third Read (Senate)

• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)Primary sponsor
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 21, 2025

   49 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #79

2. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   161 yea, 7 nay (4 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #425

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   38 yea, 7 nay (2 not voting, 7 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #863

• superior courts
• judicial appointments
• court funding
• county government
• judicial circuits