---
title: Ga. Const. Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. I. Selection; term of office.
collection: code
id: ga-const:art-vi-sec-vii-para-i
cite_as: Ga. Const. Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. I
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date: 2025
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heading_path: CONSTITUTION OF THE / JUDICIAL BRANCH / SELECTION, TERM, COMPENSATION, AND DISCIPLINE OF JUDGES
---

# Ga. Const. Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. I. Selection; term of office.

A constitution provision shown as in force is in force as printed in the volume. A court decision can make a printed provision unenforceable without changing the volume, and the volume does not record that.

(a) All superior court and state court judges shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis for a term of four years. All Justices of the Supreme Court and the Judges of the Court of Appeals shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis for a term of six years. The terms of all judges thus elected shall begin the next January 1 after their election. All other judges shall continue to be selected in the manner and for the term they were selected on June 30, 1983, until otherwise provided by local law.

(b) All state-wide business court judges shall serve a term of five years; provided, however, that the initial term of such judges shall be as provided by law. Such judges shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to approval by a majority vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a majority vote of the House Committee on Judiciary. Such judges may be reappointed for any number of consecutive terms as long as he or she meets the qualifications of appointment at the time of each appointment and is approved as required by this subparagraph. The state-wide business court shall consist of the number of judges as provided for by law. For purposes of qualifications, state-wide business court judges shall be deemed to serve the geographical area of this state.

(c) Each Georgia Tax Court judge shall serve a term of four years; provided, however, that the initial term of each such judge shall be as provided by law. Each Georgia Tax Court judge shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to approval by a majority vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a majority vote of the House Committee on Judiciary. Each judge may be reappointed for any number of consecutive terms so long as he or she meets the qualifications of appointment at the time of each appointment and is approved as required by this subparagraph. The Georgia Tax Court shall consist of the number of judges as provided for by law. For purposes of qualifications, Georgia Tax Court judges shall be deemed to serve the geographical area of this state.

## History

Ga. Const. 1983, Art. 6, § 1, Para. 1, Ga. L. 2018, p. 1130, § 1/HR 993; Ga. L. 2024, p. 1189, § 1/HR 598.

## Editor's Notes

The constitutional amendment (Ga. L. 2018, p. 1130, § 1/HR 993), which added subparagraph (b), was ratified at the general election held on November 6, 2018.

The constitutional amendment (Ga. L. 2024, p. 1189, § 5/HR 598), which added subparagraph (c), was ratified at the general election held November 5, 2024.

## Law Reviews

For annual survey on trial practice and procedure, see 70 Mercer L. Rev. 253 (2018).

For note, “The Case of the Vanishing Supreme Court Contest: Barrow v. Raffensperger Eliminates the Power of the People to Elect their Appellate, Superior, and State Court Judges,” see 72 Mercer L. Rev. 957 (2021).

## In Subsequent Term Was Not Unconstitutional.

State court judge was not entitled to mandamus relief for additional compensation under a local law and a county ordinance because the judge received all compensation and allowances as provided by law, and the judge’s salary did not decrease in any way during the judge’s term of office in violation of Ga. Const. 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. V; rather, the salary decreased during a subsequent term as defined in Ga. Const. 1983, Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. I(a). Cowen v. Clayton County, 306 Ga. 698, 832 S.E.2d 819, 2019 Ga. LEXIS 594 (2019).