Section 11. Judicial districs; rotation; special superior court judges; assignment of superior court judges by chief justice
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Superior Courts
(1) Superior Court districts. The General Assembly shall, from time to time, divide the State into a convenient number of Superior Court judicial districts and shall provide for the election of one or more Superior Court Judges for each district. Each regular Superior Court Judge shall reside in the district for which he is elected. The General Assembly may provide by general law for the selection or appointment of special or emergency Superior Court Judges not selected for a particular judicial district.
(2) Open at all times; sessions for trial of cases. The Superior Courts shall be open at all times for the transaction of all business except the trial of issues of fact requiring a jury. Regular trial sessions of the Superior Court shall be held at times fixed pursuant to a calendar of courts promulgated by the Supreme Court. At least two sessions for the trial of jury cases shall be held annually in each county.
(3) Clerks. A Clerk of the Superior Court for each county shall be elected for a term of four years by the qualified voters thereof, at the time and in the manner prescribed by law for the election of members of the General Assembly. If the office of Clerk of the Superior Court becomes vacant otherwise than by the expiration of the term, or if the people fail to elect, the senior regular resident Judge of the Superior Court serving the county shall appoint to fill the vacancy until an election can be regularly held.
This item is based on 6 items:
Judicial districs; rotation; special superior court judges; assignment of superior court judges by chief justice
Each Judge of the Superior Court shall reside in the district for which he is elected. The General Assembly may divide the State into a number of judicial divisions. The judges shall preside in the courts of the different districts within a division successively; but no judge shall hold all the courts in the same district oftener than once in four years. The General Assembly may provide by general laws for the selection or appointment of Special or Emergency Superior Court Judges not assigned to any judicial district, who may be designated from time to time by the Chief Justice, to hold court in any district or districts within the State; and the General Assembly shall define their jurisdiction and shall provide for their reasonable compensation. The Chief Justice, when in his opinion the public interest so requires, may assign any Superior Court Judge to hold one or more terms of Superior Court in any district.
Residences of judges, rotation in judicial districts and special terms
Every Judge of the Superior Court shall reside in the district for which he is elected. The Judges shall preside in the courts of the different districts successively, but no Judge shall hold the courts in the same district oftener than once in four years; but but in case of the protracted illness of the Judge assigned to preside in any district, or of any unavoidable accident to him, by reason of which he shall be unable to preside, the Governor may require any Judge to hold one or more specified terms in said district. In lieu of the Judge assigned to hold the courts of the said district and the General Assembly may by general laws provide for the selection of special or emergency judges to hold the superior courts of any county or district, when the judges assigned thereto by reason of sickness, disability, or other cause, is unable to attend and hold said courts, and when no other judge is available to hold the same. Such special or emergency judges shall have the power and authority of regular judges of the superior courts, in the courts which they are so appointed to hold; and the General Assembly shall provide for their reasonable compensation.
Residences of judges; rotation in judicial districts; special terms
That every Judge of the Superior Court shall reside in the district for which he is elected. The Judges shall preside in the Courts of the different districts successively, but no Judge shall hold the Courts in the same district oftener than once in four years, but in case of the protracted illness of the Judge assigned to preside in any district, or of any other unavoidable accident to him, by reason of which he shall become unable to preside, the Governor may require any Judge to hold one or more specified terms in said district, in lien of the Judge assigned to hold the Courts of said district.
Residences of judges; rotation in judicial districts; special terms
Every Judge of a Superior Court shall reside in his District while holding his office. The Judges may exchange districts with each other with the consent of the Governor, and the Governor, for good reasons, which he shall report to the Legislature at its current or next session, may require any Judge to hold one or more specified terms of said courts in lieu of the Judge in whose district they are.