Bill No.: SF0055 Drafter: JHR

LSO No.: 06LSO-0389 Effective Date: 7/1/2006

Enrolled Act No.: SEA0005

Chapter No.: 7

Prime Sponsor: Senator Hanes

Catch Title: Qualifications of circuit court magistrates.

Subject: Qualifications of circuit court magistrates.

Summary/Major Elements:

· Under current law, circuit court magistrates are required to be qualified electors and residents of the county for which appointed.

· This bill amends the requirements for magistrates as follows:

· Full-time magistrates continue to be required to be qualified electors and residents of the county for which appointed;

· Part-time magistrates are required to be qualified electors, but need only be residents of the judicial district within which the circuit court is located.

Comment:

Most judicial districts in the state contain more than one county, and it has proven difficult to recruit part-time magistrates if they were required to be residents of the county. The residency requirement is broadened so that such magistrates only have to be residents of the judicial district, but they would still be subject to supervision by the circuit court.