HB1258: HB1258 Muscogee County; State Court; provide additional judge

The State Court of Muscogee County currently has two judges. This bill amends the original 1884 Act that created that court, as later amended in 1987, to expand the court to three judges beginning January 1, 2027. The two sitting judges would finish out the terms they were already elected or appointed to serve. The new third judge would be chosen at the nonpartisan general election in 2026 for an initial four-year term starting January 1, 2027, following the same election rules used for other state court judges in Georgia. The new judge would have the same legal powers, duties, and jurisdiction as the current judges, and would receive the same pay, salary supplements, and expense allowances as the other judges on that court.

• Expands the State Court of Muscogee County from two judges to three judges, effective January 1, 2027.
• Sets up an election for the new third judge at the 2026 nonpartisan general election, using the same process as other Georgia state court judge elections.
• Gives the two current judges permission to finish their existing terms rather than face immediate reelection.
• Grants the new third judge the same legal powers, duties, jurisdiction, privileges, and immunities as the other judges on the court.
• Sets the new judge's pay, salary supplements, and expense allowances equal to those of the other Muscogee County state court judges.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this change.

Residents and litigants in Muscogee County who use the State Court, the two current state court judges, whoever is elected as the new third judge, county election officials who will run the 2026 nonpartisan election, and county government which funds judicial salaries.

Adding a third judge could help the State Court of Muscogee County handle its caseload faster by spreading cases across more judges. It also creates a new elected judicial seat that Muscogee County voters will fill in the 2026 nonpartisan general election.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of Section 2.1 of the original 1884 Act (as amended in 1987) to set the court at three judges as of January 1, 2027.
• The two sitting judges keep serving out the terms they were already elected or appointed to, avoiding a disruption to their current tenure.
• The third judge is elected at the 2026 nonpartisan general election for an initial four-year term starting January 1, 2027, using the standard state court judge election process.
• The new judge receives the same powers, jurisdiction, and compensation as the two existing judges, so no separate pay or authority structure is created.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 661
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-17Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-12House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Vance Smith (R, HD-138)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 12, 2026

   156 yea, 0 nay (11 not voting, 8 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #506

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #571

• Muscogee County courts
• state court judges
• local judicial elections
• Georgia court system