---
title: HB 1403. Courts; service by judges, justices, court officers, and other individuals as a judge advocate in certain capacities; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1403
cite_as: HB 1403, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1403
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1403.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1403/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73456
date: 2026-03-03
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 185
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1403.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1403
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-20
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported
sponsors:
- Reynaldo Martinez
- Matt Reeves
- Rob Leverett
- Josh Bonner
- Mitchell Scoggins
- Trey Kelley
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1403/2025
upstream_id: 2121444
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- courts
- judges
- military service
- judge advocates
- state militia
---
# HB 1403. Courts; service by judges, justices, court officers, and other individuals as a judge advocate in certain capacities; provide
## Text
House Bill 1403
By: Representatives Martinez of the 111th, Reeves of the 99th, Leverett of the 123rd, Bonner
of the 73rd, Scoggins of the 14th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to courts, so as to provide for service by judges, justices, court
officers, and other individuals as a judge advocate in certain capacities; to provide for
construction; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 1 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general
provisions relative to courts, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"15-1-8.1.
Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regulation, 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 or offering advice in his or her role as a judge
advocate, or in any other position, in a reserve component of the United States military or
the organized militia, as such term is defined in Code Section 38-2-2 and provided for in
Code Section 38-2-3, of this state or any other state."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
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.
### Plain-language summary
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 it 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-20)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported (2026-03-03)
- Sponsors: Reynaldo Martinez, Matt Reeves, Rob Leverett, Josh Bonner, Mitchell Scoggins, Trey Kelley
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73456
> The history, votes, and amendments (185 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1403.md?full=1