Under existing law, the Judicial Resources Allocation Commission annually reviews the need for increasing or decreasing the number of judgeships in each district court and circuit court and may reallocate a judgeship in the case of certain vacancies.
This bill would require the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama to assign a circuit or district judge to serve within another judicial circuit to address court congestion, court delay, backlog of cases, or other reasons necessary for the prompt administration of justice.
Under existing law, Amendment 328 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 150 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, recognizes the power of the Supreme Court of Alabama to adopt rules of procedure in all courts.
The rules may be changed by a general act of statewide application.
Under existing rules of the Supreme Court of Alabama, a presiding circuit judge may temporarily assign circuit or district court judges within the circuit to serve either within the circuit or in district courts within the circuit.
The bill would specify that the judge may assign judges within the circuit as needed to address court congestion, court delay, backlog of cases, or other reasons necessary for the prompt administration of justice and would remove the limitation that an assignment may be only temporary.
Forwarded to Governor on March 28, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. on March 28, 2018.
Assigned Act No. 2018-567.
Clerk of the House Certification
Enrolled
Signature Requested
Concurred in Second House Amendment
Hill motion to Concur In and Adopt adopted Roll Call 1078
Concurrence Requested
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 1031
Ward motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 1030
Ward Amendment Offered
Third Reading Passed
Ward motion to Carry Over to the Call of the Chair adopted Voice Vote
Third Reading Carried Over to Call of the Chair
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Judiciary
Engrossed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 441
Motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 440
Hill Amendment Offered
Hill motion to Table adopted Roll Call 439
Judiciary Amendment Offered
Third Reading Passed
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar 1 amendment
Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Judiciary
Source: Alabama Legislature