HB160: HB160 Carroll County; State Court; provide additional judge

Carroll County's state court currently has one judge, established under a 1897 Act that has been amended over the years. This bill amends that law to add a second judge to the court, starting July 1, 2025. The first person to hold the new judgeship will be appointed by the Governor to serve from July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026. After that, voters will elect a successor at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election, with future judges serving four-year terms and being elected at nonpartisan general elections without a primary. The bill also designates the sitting judge as chief judge, sets each judge's salary at 90 percent of the Carroll County Superior Court judge's salary (paid from county funds), requires judges to work full time and not practice law privately, and lets each judge hire a secretary at a minimum salary of $14,750 a year. The judge-appointment part of the law takes effect once the Governor signs it; the rest takes effect July 1, 2025.

• Adds a second, additional judgeship to the State Court of Carroll County beginning July 1, 2025.
• Has the Governor appoint the first additional judge to serve from July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026, until a successor is elected.
• Requires the successor to that initial judge to be elected in the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election for a four-year term starting January 1, 2027.
• Designates the sitting State Court judge as chief judge and requires all future judges to be elected in nonpartisan general elections without a primary.
• Sets each judge's annual salary at 90 percent of the Carroll County Superior Court judge's salary, paid from county funds, and requires judges to work full time without private legal practice.
• Allows each judge to hire a secretary at a minimum annual salary of $14,750, paid from county funds.

Residents and voters of Carroll County, the sitting and future judges of the State Court of Carroll County, the Governor's office (which makes the initial appointment), county government (which funds judicial and staff salaries), and each judge's secretary.

Adding a second judge to Carroll County's state court could speed up case processing and change how local judicial elections are run, while shifting some initial selection power to the Governor rather than voters for a temporary period before the 2026 election.

• Section 1 revises Section 4 of the 1897 Act creating the Carrollton city court (now the State Court of Carroll County) to add one additional judge alongside a designated chief judge.
• The initial additional judge is appointed by the Governor for a term from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026, rather than elected.
• The successor to the initial judge is elected at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election for a four-year term beginning January 1, 2027, and future judges follow the same four-year election cycle.
• Judges are elected at nonpartisan general elections without a preceding nonpartisan primary.
• Each judge's salary is set at 90 percent of the Carroll County Superior Court judge's salary, excluding certain county supplements, paid monthly from county funds.
• Judges must serve full time and may not privately practice law, and each may hire a secretary earning at least $14,750 per year from county funds.
• Section 2 makes the appointment provision effective upon the Governor's signature, while all other provisions take effect July 1, 2025.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 197
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-02-12Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-02-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-05House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)Primary sponsor
• David Huddleston (R, HD-072)
• Jutt Howard (R, HD-071)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 5, 2025

   160 yea, 1 nay (14 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #15

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 12, 2025

   52 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #45

• Carroll County
• state courts
• local judges
• judicial elections
• county government