---
title: HB 55. Alapaha Judicial Circuit; superior courts; provide for an additional judge
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb55
cite_as: HB 55, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb55
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb55.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb55/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69353
date: 2025-05-13
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb54.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb56.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 1330
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb55.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 55
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-05-13
last_action: Effective Date 2025-05-13
sponsors:
  - Jaclyn Ford
  - James Burchett
  - John Corbett
  - Chuck Efstration
  - Stan Gunter
  - Charles Cannon
  - Russ Goodman
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB55/2025
upstream_id: 1919231
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - superior courts
  - judicial appointments
  - Alapaha Judicial Circuit
  - court funding
  - judicial elections
---

# HB 55. Alapaha Judicial Circuit; superior courts; provide for an additional judge

## Text

25 HB 55/AP
House Bill 55 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Ford of the 170th, Burchett of the 176th, Corbett of the 174th, Efstration
of the 104th, Gunter of the 8th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia An notated, relating to the1
number of judges of superior courts, so as to provide for an additional judge of the superior2
courts of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit; to provide for the appo intment and term of such3
additional judge by the Governor; to provide for the election and terms of successors to the4
judge initially appointed; to require candidates for such judgeships to designate the seat for5
which they are running; to prescribe the powers of such judge; to prescribe the compensation,6
salary, and expense allowance of such judge to be paid by the S tate of Georgia and the7
counties included in such circuit; to authorize the judges of such circuit to divide and allocate8
the work and duties thereof; to provide for the designation of a chief judge; to provide for the9
manner of impaneling jurors; to provide for an additional court reporter for such circuit; to10
authorize the governing authority of the counties included in such circuit to provide facilities,11
office space, supplies, equipment, and personnel for such judge s; to declare inherent12
authority; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting13
laws; and for other purposes.14
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:15
H. B. 55
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25 HB 55/AP
SECTION 1.16
Code Section 15-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the number of17
judges of superior courts, is amended by revising paragraph (1) as follows:18
"( 1 ) A l a p a h a C i r c u i t.................................................2 3"19
SECTION 2.20
The additional judge of the superior courts of the Alapaha Judi cial Circuit provided for in21
this Act shall be appointed by the Governor for a term beginnin g January 1, 2026, and22
expiring December 31, 2028, and until a successor is elected an d qualified. At the23
nonpartisan judicial election to be held in 2028, there shall b e elected a successor to such24
additional judge appointed as provided for in this section, and he or she shall take office on25
the first day of January, 2029, and serve for a term of office of four years and until a26
successor is duly elected and qualified. All subsequent succes sors to such judge shall be27
elected at the nonpartisan judicial election conducted in the year in which the term of office28
of such judge shall expire and serve for a term of four years and until his or her successor is29
duly elected and qualified. Such judges shall take office on the first day of January following30
the date of their election. Such elections shall be held and c onducted as is now or may31
hereafter be provided by law for the election of judges of the superior courts of the State of32
Georgia.33
SECTION 3.34
Each person who offers for election as one of the judges of the superior courts of the Alapaha35
Judicial Circuit shall designate with the proper authority in all general elections the specific36
seat for which such person offers by naming the incumbent judge whom he or she desires to37
succeed and thereupon such person shall be permitted, if otherwise qualified, to run for such38
designated judgeship and no other. In the event that there is no incumbent judge in the seat39
H. B. 55
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25 HB 55/AP
for which such person desires to offer, the person shall qualif y by announcing his or her40
intention to run for the office for which there is no incumbent.41
SECTION 4.42
The additional judge of the superior courts of the Alapaha Judi cial Circuit provided for in43
this Act shall have and may exercise all powers, duties, dignities, jurisdiction, privileges, and44
immunities of the present judges of the superior courts of this state. Any of the judges of the45
Alapaha Judicial Circuit may preside over any cause, whether in t h e i r o w n o r i n o t h e r46
circuits, and perform any official act as judge thereof, including sitting on appellate courts47
as provided by law.48
SECTION 5.49
The qualifications of such additional judge and his or her successors shall be the same as are50
now provided by law for all other superior court judges, and his or her compensation, salary,51
and expense allowance from the State of Georgia and from the co unties comprising such52
circuit shall be the same as that of other judges of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit. The salary53
supplements enacted by the counties comprising such circuit for the present superior court54
judges of such circuit shall also be applicable to the additional judge provided by this Act.55
SECTION 6.56
All writs and processes in the superior courts of the Alapaha J udicial Circuit shall be57
returnable to the terms of such superior courts as they are now fixed and provided by law,58
or as they may hereafter be fixed or determined by law, and all terms of such courts shall be59
held in the same manner as though there were but one judge, it being the intent and purpose60
of this Act to provide the judges of such circuit with equal jurisdiction and authority to attend61
to and perform the functions, powers, and duties of the judges of such superior courts and to62
direct and conduct all hearings and trials in such courts.63
H. B. 55
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SECTION 7.64
Upon and after qualification of the additional judge of the Ala paha Judicial Circuit, the65
judges of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit may adopt, promulgate, amend, and enforce such rules66
of practice and procedure in consonance with the Constitution a nd laws of the State of67
Georgia as they deem suitable and proper for the effective transaction of the business of the68
courts; and, in transacting the business of the courts and in p erforming their duties and69
responsibilities, the judges shall share, divide, and allocate the work and duties to be70
performed by each. In the event of a disagreement among the judges in respect hereof, the71
majority shall rule, or failing a majority, the decision of the senior judge in point of service,72
who shall be known as the chief judge, shall be controlling.73
SECTION 8.74
The drawing and impaneling of all jurors, whether grand, petit, or special, may be conducted75
by any of the judges of the superior courts of such circuit; and such judges, collectively or76
individually, shall have full power and authority to draw and i mpanel jurors for service in77
such courts so as to have jurors for the trial of cases before any of such judges separately or78
before each of them at the same time.79
SECTION 9.80
The judges of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit shall be authorized and empowered to employ an81
additional court reporter for such circuit whose compensation s hall be as now or hereafter82
provided by law.83
SECTION 10.84
All writs, processes, orders, subpoenas, and any other official paper issuing out of the85
superior courts of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit may bear teste in the name of any judge of86
such circuit and, when issued by and in the name of any judge of such circuit, shall be fully87
H. B. 55
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valid and may be held and determined before the same or any oth er judge of such circuit.88
Any judge of such courts may preside over any cause therein and perform any official act as89
judge thereof.90
SECTION 11.91
The governing authorities of the counties comprising the Alapah a Judicial Circuit shall92
provide the judges of such circuit with suitable courtrooms and facilities, office space,93
telephones, furniture, office equipment, supplies, and such personnel as may be considered94
necessary to the proper functioning of the courts. All of the expenditures authorized in this95
Act are declared to be an expense of the superior court for whi ch such expenditure was96
authorized and shall be payable out of such court's respective county treasury as such.97
SECTION 12.98
Nothing enumerated in this Act shall be deemed to limit or rest rict the inherent powers,99
duties, and responsibilities of superior court judges provided by the Constitution and statutes100
of the State of Georgia.101
SECTION 13.102
This Act shall become effective for the purpose of appointing the additional judge upon its103
approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval and for all other104
purposes on January 1, 2026.105
SECTION 14.106
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.107
H. B. 55
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## 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.

House Bill 55 adds a third superior court judge to the Alapaha Judicial Circuit, with the Governor appointing the first judge to serve until a 2028 election.

### Plain-language summary

The Alapaha Judicial Circuit, which covers a group of south Georgia counties, currently has two superior court judges under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-2). This bill increases that number to three. The Governor would appoint the new judge to a term starting January 1, 2026 and running through December 31, 2028. Voters would then choose a successor in the nonpartisan judicial election held in 2028, with that winner taking office in January 2029 for a four-year term, and all later successors elected the same way.
The bill also spells out routine details: candidates must specify which judgeship seat they are running for, the new judge has the same powers and pay as the circuit's other judges, the circuit's judges can divide up their workload and pick a chief judge, the circuit can hire an extra court reporter, and the counties in the circuit must provide office space and supplies. The appointment provision takes effect when the Governor signs the bill or it becomes law without signature; the rest takes effect January 1, 2026.

### What it does

- Amends Georgia's law on the number of superior court judges (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-2) to add a third judgeship to the Alapaha Judicial Circuit.
- Directs the Governor to appoint the new judge for a term from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028, until a successor is elected.
- Requires the seat to be filled afterward through the 2028 nonpartisan judicial election, with the winner serving a four-year term starting in 2029.
- Requires candidates for Alapaha Circuit judgeships to publicly name which incumbent's seat they are running to succeed.
- Gives the new judge the same pay, powers, and jurisdiction as the circuit's existing judges, paid by the state and the circuit's counties.
- Authorizes the circuit's counties to provide courtrooms, office space, equipment, and staff, and allows hiring of an additional court reporter.

### Who it affects

Residents and litigants in the Alapaha Judicial Circuit's counties, the Governor's office, candidates for judicial office in the circuit, current and future superior court judges there, county governments that fund court facilities and salaries, and voters who will elect the seat's permanent occupant in 2028.

### Why it matters

Adding a third judge is meant to help the circuit handle its caseload with an additional judge appointed right away rather than waiting for an election, while county governments take on added costs for the new judge's office space, staff, and pay.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 15-6-2 to set the Alapaha Judicial Circuit's judge count at three.
- Section 2 sets the appointed judge's term from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028, with a successor elected in 2028 and later successors elected every four years.
- Section 3 requires judicial candidates in the circuit to designate the specific seat and incumbent they seek to succeed.
- Section 5 sets the new judge's qualifications, salary, expense allowance, and county salary supplements equal to the circuit's other judges.
- Section 7 allows the circuit's judges to divide their workload and choose a chief judge by majority vote or seniority.
- Section 9 authorizes hiring an additional court reporter for the circuit.
- Section 11 requires the circuit's counties to provide courtrooms, office space, equipment, and personnel, funded from each county's treasury.
- Section 13 sets the appointment provision effective upon the Governor's approval, with the rest of the Act effective January 1, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-05-13)
- Last action: Effective Date 2025-05-13 (2025-05-13)
- Sponsors: Jaclyn Ford, James Burchett, John Corbett, Chuck Efstration, Stan Gunter, Charles Cannon, Russ Goodman
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69353

> The history, votes, and amendments (1,330 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb55.md?full=1