HB482: HB482 Courts; superior court judicial officers in certain judicial circuits; provide

Currently, superior court judges in Georgia are elected officials. This bill creates a new option for judicial circuits that already have 15 or more superior court judges: the counties that make up such a circuit could choose to fund up to five "judicial officers" to help handle court business. If a county or counties provide the funding, the circuit's chief judge, after talking with a majority of the circuit's superior court judges, could appoint people who meet the same qualifications required of superior court judges. These judicial officers would have the same powers and duties as a superior court judge, except they could not handle serious violent felony cases, and the chief judge could add further limits. Appointments would last up to two years and could be renewed. The judicial officers would be county employees, not state employees, with counties covering their pay, benefits, and expenses.

• Creates a new option letting counties in judicial circuits with 15 or more superior court judges fund up to five appointed judicial officers.
• Requires judicial officers to meet the same qualifications as elected superior court judges but bars them from being elected themselves.
• Gives judicial officers the same powers and duties as superior court judges except they cannot hear serious violent felony cases as defined in O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1.
• Lets the circuit's chief judge, after consulting other judges, impose additional limits on what cases judicial officers can handle.
• Limits judicial officer appointments to terms of up to two years, though they can be reappointed.
• Classifies judicial officers as county employees rather than state employees, making counties responsible for their pay and benefits.

This bill affects county governments in Georgia's largest superior court circuits, chief judges and sitting superior court judges in those circuits, and the people appointed as judicial officers. It also indirectly affects litigants and defendants whose cases could be assigned to a judicial officer instead of an elected judge.

Large judicial circuits often face heavy caseloads. This bill gives counties in circuits with 15 or more judges a way to add appointed help on the bench without waiting for new elected judgeships, while keeping the most serious violent felony cases with elected judges and county taxpayers footing the bill.

• Section 1 adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 15-6-37, applying only to judicial circuits with 15 or more superior court judges 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 under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-4, but bars election to the role.
• Subsection (c) gives judicial officers full judge powers except over serious violent felony cases, and lets the chief judge add further restrictions.
• Subsection (d) caps appointment terms at two years, with reappointment allowed.
• Subsection (e) makes judicial officers county employees, not state employees, with counties covering compensation, benefits, and travel expenses.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-02-28House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
3. 2025-02-20House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-19House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)Primary sponsor
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)

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