SB 10: Superior Courts of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit; additional judge; provide

The bill amends Georgia's court code (O.C.G.A. Title 15) to add a new section allowing county governments that fund a superior court circuit with 15 or more judges to pay for up to five additional judicial officers. These officers are not elected judges; they are appointed by the circuit's chief judge after consulting with a majority of the circuit's superior court judges. The judicial officers must meet the same qualifications as elected superior court judges and can exercise nearly all the same powers and duties, except they cannot preside over serious violent felony cases as defined in Georgia law. Their terms last up to two years and can be renewed. They are treated as county employees, not state employees, so the counties in the circuit are responsible for their pay, benefits, and expenses. As substituted by the House Committee on Rules, this version no longer creates the additional Alapaha circuit judge referenced in the bill's title; it instead creates this new statewide option for large circuits.

• Creates a new Georgia Code section allowing counties funding a superior court circuit with 15 or more judges to pay for up to five appointed judicial officers.
• Lets the circuit's chief judge appoint these officers after consulting a majority of the circuit's superior court judges, without requiring an election.
• Requires appointed judicial officers to meet the same qualifications as elected superior court judges under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-4.
• Bars judicial officers from presiding over serious violent felony cases as defined in O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1, though the chief judge can add further limits.
• Sets judicial officer terms at up to two years, renewable, and classifies them as county employees rather than state employees.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new provisions.

County governments and boards of commissioners in large superior court circuits (those with 15 or more judges), chief judges and superior court judges in those circuits, and the individuals appointed as judicial officers, who would be county employees rather than elected officials or state employees.

Large, busy superior court circuits could get extra help handling non-violent-felony caseloads without needing a new judgeship created and funded by the state or won through election, though the added cost of pay and benefits would fall on county governments rather than the state.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 15-6-37, applying only to judicial circuits with 15 or more superior court judges as counted under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-2.
• Subsection (a) authorizes county governing authorities in such circuits to fund up to five judicial officers.
• Subsection (b) lets the chief judge appoint judicial officers after consulting a majority of the circuit's judges, and requires the same qualifications as elected judges but no election.
• Subsection (c) gives judicial officers the powers and duties of a superior court judge, except over serious violent felony cases, and lets the chief judge impose further restrictions.
• Subsection (d) limits appointments to renewable two-year terms.
• Subsection (e) makes judicial officers county employees, with counties responsible for their compensation, benefits, and expenses.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-27Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senado)
2. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-02-26House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
6. 2025-02-24House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2025-02-21Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senado)
8. 2025-02-21Senate Third Read (Senado)

• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)Patrocinador principal
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)

1. AprobadaVotación: Senado21 de febrero de 2025

   49 a favor, 0 en contra (6 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #79

2. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes4 de abril de 2025

   161 a favor, 7 en contra (4 sin votar, 8 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #425

3. AprobadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   38 a favor, 7 en contra (2 sin votar, 7 ausentes)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #863

• superior courts
• judicial appointments
• county government funding
• court staffing
• Georgia court system