SB255 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg AlbrittonSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Courts, to require the Judicial Resources Allocation Commission to meet and make determination on whether to reallocate a judgeship within a specified period of time, and to remove the provision preventing a judical circuit from losing more than one judgeship within a specified period of time, Secs., 12-9A-2, 12-9A-5 am'd.

Summary

SB255 creates three new circuit judgeships in Madison County, Autauga/Chilton/Elmore, and Baldwin County, and changes vacancy reallocation rules, including faster decisions and removal of the limit on losing judgeships.

What This Bill Does

It adds three new circuit judgeships with full authority and standard pay. It requires the Judicial Resources Allocation Commission to meet and decide on reallocations within 30 days of a vacancy. It changes how vacancies are handled: the first vacancy after the act becomes vacant must be reallocated; the second through the fourth vacancies will not be reallocated and will terminate; after that, vacancies may be reallocated under existing law. It also removes the prohibition on circuits losing more than one judgeship in a two-year period.

Who It Affects

• Judicial Resources Allocation Commission — its duties expand to include a 30-day decision requirement and revised vacancy reallocation rules.
• Three circuit courts: Twenty-third Judicial Circuit (Madison County), Nineteenth Judicial Circuit (Autauga, Chilton, Elmore), and Twenty-eighth Judicial Circuit (Baldwin) — gain new judgeships and are subject to revised vacancy allocation rules, including potential termination of some future vacancies.

Key Provisions

• Creates three additional circuit judgeships: Twenty-third Circuit Judgeship No. 8 (Madison County), Nineteenth Circuit Judgeship No. 4 (Autauga, Chilton, Elmore), and Twenty-eighth Circuit Judgeship No. 6 (Baldwin County); fills them with full jurisdiction and standard compensation.
• Modifies vacancy allocation: the Judicial Resources Allocation Commission must decide reallocations within 30 days of a vacancy; the first vacancy after the act's effective date will be reallocated as under existing law, the second through the fourth vacancies will terminate rather than be reallocated, and later vacancies may be reallocated under existing law; the cap on losing more than one judgeship in two years is removed.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Madison County