Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 1403: Courts; service by judges, justices, court officers, and other individuals as a judge advocate in certain capacities; provide
Last action March 3, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House bill would guarantee that judges, justices, clerks of court, and other court officers can serve as judge advocates in the military reserves or state militia without being restricted by any other law, rule, or regulation.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Currently, judges, justices, magistrates, clerks of court, and other court officials in Georgia might face conflicts or restrictions under existing laws, rules, or regulations that could limit their ability to also serve in military legal roles, specifically as judge advocates (military lawyers who advise commanders) in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces or in Georgia's organized militia. This bill adds a new section to Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 15-1-8.1, stating that no judge, justice, magistrate, presiding officer, clerk of court, or other court officer shall be limited from serving as a judge advocate or offering advice in that role, or in any other position, in a reserve military component or organized militia of Georgia or any other state. The bill does not set an effective date beyond the standard process, and it repeals any conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 15-1-8.1) protecting judges, justices, and court officers from being limited in serving as military judge advocates.
- Covers a broad range of court officials, including judges, justices, magistrates, presiding officers of inferior courts or commissions, and clerks of court.
- Applies the protection to service in a reserve component of the U.S. military or in Georgia's organized militia, as well as similar service in any other state.
- Overrides any other conflicting law, rule, or regulation that might otherwise restrict such dual service.
- Repeals all existing laws or parts of laws that conflict with this new provision.
Who it affects
Georgia judges, justices, magistrates, presiding officers of inferior courts or commissions, and clerks of court who also serve or wish to serve as judge advocates in a military reserve component or the organized state militia are directly affected by this bill.
Why it matters
Court officials who also hold military reserve or militia legal positions would have clear legal protection against restrictions that might otherwise limit that service, potentially making it easier for them to balance judicial careers with military legal duties.
Key provisions
- Section 1 creates new Code Section 15-1-8.1, stating that no judge, justice, magistrate, presiding officer, clerk of court, or other court officer shall be limited from serving as a judge advocate.
- The protection extends to service in a reserve component of the U.S. military or in the organized militia as defined in O.C.G.A. § 38-2-2 and provided for in § 38-2-3.
- The protection applies whether the service is in Georgia's militia or that of any other state.
- Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the new provision.
From the bill
“no judge or justice of any court or administrative body, magistrate, presiding officer of any inferior judicature or commission, clerk of court, or any other officer of the courts and tribunals of this state shall be limited in any way from serving as a judge advocate”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Judiciary Committee, March 2, 2026
From 1:10:05 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1403 would prevent restrictions on judges, including magistrates, serving as military legal officers or giving advice in that role for a reserve component of the United States military or an organized militia. A National Guard representative was available for questions, but none were asked. The committee approved the bill by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
From 1:25:22 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2178
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 1403 on the supplemental floor calendar under modified structured rules. No substantive discussion occurred.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Reynaldo "Rey" Martinez (R, HD-111)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Josh Bonner (R, HD-73)
- Mitchell Scoggins (R, HD-14)
- Trey Kelley (R, HD-16)
Topics
- courts
- judges
- military service
- judge advocates
- state militia