HB307 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 22, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Jim HillRepresentative
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: Courts, appointment, support, and powers of visiting judges provided for
Summary: HB307 creates the Speedy Trial Act and lets the Chief Justice appoint visiting judges to handle violent-offense cases, funded by a new Speedy Trial Fund.
What This Bill Does
The Chief Justice may appoint sitting or retired circuit judges as visiting judges for specific cases requested by the Attorney General or a district attorney. The request must identify the case and reasons, and the Chief Justice must decide within 30 days, considering fund availability; the visiting judge serves until final adjudication and has full powers of the appointed judgeship. The act establishes a Speedy Trial Fund in the state treasury to pay eligible expenses, and counties must provide courtroom space; there are provisions for court reporters and possible compensation for visiting judges, including retired judges under existing statutes. The act encourages hosting circuits to conduct jury trials during their usual jury weeks, allows for extra juries if needed, and may supersede certain capital murder jury rules when the visiting-judge process is used; presiding circuit judges may reassign cases within the circuit, and the act becomes effective June 1, 2025.

Who It Affects
Attorney General and district attorneys: may request the appointment of a visiting judge for specific violent-offense cases.
Visiting judges, counties, and court staff: visiting judges (sitting or retired circuit judges) gain authority and duties in host circuits, require courtroom space and reporters, and may receive compensation; counties must provide adequate space and resources.

Key Provisions
Creates the Speedy Trial Act and the Speedy Trial Fund to pay for eligible visiting-judge expenses.
Authorizes the Chief Justice to appoint a sitting or retired circuit judge as a visiting judge for specific cases involving violent offenses, upon request by the AG or a district attorney, with a required case and rationale in the request.
Visiting judges have all powers of the judgeship to which they are appointed and serve until final adjudication; they may use official, roving, or contracted reporters and may request additional jurors if needed; courts must provide space and resources.
Presiding circuit judges may reassign cases to other circuits or judges within the same circuit without regard to division or specialty.
The act becomes effective June 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Courts & Judges