---
title: Ga. Const. Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. II. Qualifications.
collection: code
id: ga-const:art-vi-sec-vii-para-ii
cite_as: Ga. Const. Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. II
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/ga/art-vi-sec-vii-para-ii
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/ga/art-vi-sec-vii-para-ii.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/ga/art-vi-sec-vii-para-ii/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/2ga-const-(v2)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=779150d1_0#page=101
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/ga/index.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/ga/art-vi-sec-vii-para-i.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/ga/art-vi-sec-vii-para-iii.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSTITUTION OF THE / JUDICIAL BRANCH / SELECTION, TERM, COMPENSATION, AND DISCIPLINE OF JUDGES
---

# Ga. Const. Art. VI, Sec. VII, Para. II. Qualifications.

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) Appellate, superior, and state-wide business court judges shall have been admitted to practice law for seven years.

(b) State court judges shall have been admitted to practice law for seven years, provided that this requirement shall be five years in the case of state court judges elected or appointed in the year 2000 or earlier. Juvenile court judges shall have been admitted to practice law for five years.

(b.1) State-wide business court judges shall have such qualifications as provided by law.

(b.2) Georgia Tax Court judges shall have such qualifications as provided by law.

(c) Probate and magistrate judges shall have such qualifications as provided by law.

(d) All judges shall reside in the geographical area in which they are selected to serve.

(e) The General Assembly may provide by law for additional qualifications, including, but not limited to, minimum residency requirements.

## History

Ga. Const. 1983, Art. 6, § 7, Para. 2; Ga. L. 2000, p. 2002, § 1/HR 268; Ga. L. 2018, p. 1130, § 1/HR 993; Ga. L. 2024, p. 1189, § 6/HR 598.

## Editor's Notes

The constitutional amendment (Ga. L. 2018, p. 1130, § 1/HR 993), which substituted “Appellate, superior, and state-wide business court” for “Appellate and superior court” in subparagraph (a), and added subparagraph (b.1) to read: “State-wide business court judges shall have such qualifications as provided by law.”, was ratified at the general election held on November 6, 2018.

The constitutional amendment (Ga. L. 2024, p. 1189, § 6/HR 598), which added subparagraph (b.2), 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).