HB 160: Carroll County; State Court; provide additional judge

The State Court of Carroll County, based in Carrollton, currently has one judge under a 1897 law that has been amended over the years. House Bill 160 amends that law to add a second judgeship. The sitting judge becomes chief judge, and the Governor appoints someone to fill the new, additional judge seat starting July 1, 2025, serving until December 31, 2026. Voters then elect a successor to that seat at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election, for a four year term beginning January 1, 2027. Both judges will be elected going forward at nonpartisan general elections without a primary. The bill also sets each judge's salary at 90 percent of the Carroll County Superior Court judge's salary, paid monthly from county funds, requires both judges to work full time and not practice law privately, and lets each hire a secretary paid at least $14,750 a year. The appointment provision takes effect once the Governor signs the bill; the rest takes effect July 1, 2025.

• Creates a second, additional judgeship for the State Court of Carroll County alongside the existing judge, who becomes chief judge.
• Directs the Governor to appoint the first person to the new judge seat for a term running from July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026.
• Requires voters to elect a successor to the new seat at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election for a four year term starting January 1, 2027.
• Sets each judge's annual salary at 90 percent of the Carroll County Superior Court judge's salary, paid monthly from county funds.
• Requires both judges to serve full time and bars them from private law practice, and lets each hire a secretary paid at least $14,750 a year from county funds.

Carroll County residents and litigants who use the State Court of Carroll County, the current state court judge who becomes chief judge, the newly appointed and later elected additional judge, the Governor making the initial appointment, and Carroll County government, which pays the judges' and secretaries' salaries.

Adding a second judge could speed up case handling in the State Court of Carroll County by splitting the caseload between two full-time judges instead of one, while setting out how that new position is filled, paid, and eventually put up for election by voters.

• Section 1 revises Section 4 of the 1897 Carrollton city court act to establish a chief judge and one additional judge, both elected by Carroll County voters going forward.
• Section 1 provides that the Governor appoints the initial additional judge for a term from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026, pending election of a successor.
• Section 1 sets the successor election at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election for a four year term beginning January 1, 2027, with future successors elected the same way.
• Section 1 requires both judges to be elected at nonpartisan general elections without a prior primary.
• Section 1 sets judicial salaries at 90 percent of the Carroll County Superior Court judge's salary and requires full-time service with no private law practice.
• Section 1 allows each judge to hire a secretary at a minimum salary of $14,750 per year, paid from county funds.
• Section 2 makes the appointment provision effective upon the Governor's approval, with all other provisions effective July 1, 2025.
• Section 3 repeals all conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 197
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-02-12Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2025-02-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
7. 2025-02-06Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
8. 2025-02-05House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)

• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)Patrocinador principal
• David Huddleston (R, HD-072)
• Jutt Howard (R, HD-071)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes5 de febrero de 2025

   160 a favor, 1 en contra (14 sin votar, 5 ausentes)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #15

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado12 de febrero de 2025

   52 a favor, 1 en contra (1 sin votar, 2 ausentes)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #45

• Carroll County courts
• state court judges
• judicial appointments
• Carrollton local government