Section 15. Tenure of justices, judges and justices of the peace
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Tenure of justices, judges and justices of the peace
(a) The regular term of office of justices and judges shall be ten years and the regular term of office for judges of the municipal court in the City of Philadelphia and of justices of the peace shall be six years. The tenure of any justice or judge shall not be affected by changes in judicial districts or by reduction in the number of judges.
(b) A justice or judge elected under section 13(a), appointed under section 13(d) or retained under this section 15(b) may file a declaration of candidacy for retention election with the officer of the Commonwealth who under law shall have supervision over elections on or before the first Monday of January of the year preceding the year in which his term of office expires. If no declaration is filed, a vacancy shall exist upon the expiration of the term of office of such justice or judge, to be filled by election under section 13(a) or by appointment under section 13(d) if applicable. If a justice or judge files a declaration, his name shall be submitted to the electors without party designation, on a separate judicial ballot or in a separate column on voting machines, at the municipal election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of office of the justice or judge, to determine only the question whether he shall be retained in office. If a majority is against retention, a vacancy shall exist upon the expiration of his term of office, to be filled by appointment under section 13(b) or under section 13(d) if applicable. If a majority favors retention, the justice or judge shall serve for the regular term of office provided herein, unless sooner removed or retired. At the expiration of each term a justice or judge shall be eligible for retention as provided herein, subject only to the retirement provisions of this article.
Tenure of justices, judges and justices of the peace
(a) The regular term of office of justices and judges shall be ten years and the regular term of office for judges of the municipal court and traffic court in the City of Philadelphia and of justices of the peace shall be six years. The tenure of any justice or judge shall not be affected by changes in judicial districts or by reduction in the number of judges.
(b) A justice or judge elected under section thirteen (a), appointed under section thirteen (d) or retained under this section fifteen (b) may file a declaration of candidacy for retention election with the officer of the Commonwealth who under law shall have supervision over elections on or before the first Monday of January of the year preceding the year in which his term of office expires. If no declaration is filed, a vacancy shall exist upon the expiration of the term of office of such justice of judge, to be filled by election under section thirteen (a) or by appointment under section thirteen (d) if applicable. If a justice or judge files a declaration, his name shall be submitted to the electors without party designation, on a separate judicial ballot or in a separate column on voting machines, at the municipal election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of office of the justice or judge, to determine only the question whether he shall be retained in office. If a majority is against retention, a vacancy shall exist upon the expiration of his term of office, to be filled by appointment under section thirteen (b) or under section thirteen (d) if applicable. If a majority favors retention, the justice or judge shall serve for the regular term of office provided herein, unless sooner removed or retired. At the expiration of each term a justice or judge shall be eligible for retention as provided herein, subject only to the retirement provisions of this article.
Election and term of judges; removal
All judges required to be learned in the law, except the judges of the Supreme Court, shall be elected by the qualified electors of the respective districts over which they are to preside, and shall hold their offices for the period of ten years, if they shall so long behave themselves well; but for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground for impeachment, the Governor may remove any of them on the address of two-thirds of each House of General Assembly.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may designate and assign former judges, learned in the law, who are willing so to do, who have served at least one term and who have not been defeated for reelection, to the office of judge of any court of record, to temporarily sit in the courts of any judicial district for the disposal of business under such circumstances and subject to such qualifications and conditions as the General Assembly may prescribe.
Election and term of judges; removal
All judges required to be learned in the law, except the judges of the Supreme Court, shall be elected by the qualified electors of the respective districts over which they are to preside, and shall hold their office for the period of ten years, if they shall so long behave themselves well; but for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground for impeachment, the Governor may remove any of them on the address of two-thirds of each House of the General Assembly.
Election of judges, their tenures, &c
The Judges of the Supreme Court, of the several Courts of Common Pleas, and of such other Courts of Record as are or shall be established by law, shall be elected by the qualified electors of the Commonwealth in the manner following, to wit: The Judges of the Supreme Court, by the qualified electors of the Commonwealth at large; the President Judges of the several Courts of Common Pleas, and of such other Courts of Record as are or shall be established by law, and all other Judges required to be learned in the law, by the qualified electors of the respective districts over which they are to preside or act as Judges; and the Associate Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas by the qualified electors of the counties respectively. The Judges of the Supreme Court shall hold their offices for the term of fifteen years, if they so long behave themselves well (subject to the allotment hereinafter provided for, subsequent to the first election); the President Judges of the several Courts of Common Pleas, and of such other Courts of record as are or shall be established by law, and all other Judges required to be learned in the law, shall hold their offices for the term of ten years, if they shall so long behave themselves well; the Associate Judges of the Courts of Common Pleas shall hold their offices for the term of five years, if they shall so long behave themselves well; all of whom shall be commissioned by the Governor, but for any reasonable cause which shall not be sufficient grounds of impeachment, the Governor shall remove any of them on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the legislature. The first election shall take place at the general election of this Commonwealth next after the adoption of this amendment, and the commissions of all the Judges who may be then in office shall expire on the first Monday of December following, when the terms of the new Judges shall commence. The persons who shall then be elected Judges of the Supreme Court shall hold their offices as follows: One of them for three years, one for six years, one for nine years, one for twelve years, and one for fifteen years, the term of each to be decided by lot by the said Judges, as soon after the election as convenient, and the result certified by them to the Governor, that the commissions may be issued in accordance thereto. The Judge whose commission will first expire shall be Chief Justice during his term, and thereafter each Judge whose commission shall first expire shall in turn be the Chief Justice; and if two or more commissions shall expire on the same day, the Judges holding them shall decide by lot which shall be the Chief Justice. Any vacancies happening by death, resignation, or otherwise in any of the said Courts, shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, to continue till the first Monday of December succeeding the next general election. The Judges of the Supreme Court and Presidents of the several Courts of Common Pleas shall, at stated times, receive for their service an adequate compensation, to be fixed by law, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office; but they shall receive no fees or perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit under this Commonwealth, or under the government of the United States, or any other State of this Union. The Judges of the Supreme Court, during their continuance in office, shall reside within the Commonwealth; and the other Judges during their continuance in office shall reside within the district or county for which they were respectively elected.
Of the supreme court, its judges
The judges of the Supreme Court, of the several Courts of Common Pleas, and of such other Courts of Record as are or shall be established by law, shall be nominated by the Governor, and by and with the consent of the Senate appointed and commissioned by him. The judges of the Supreme Court shall hold their offices for the term of fifteen years if they shall so long behave themselves well. The president judges of the several Courts of Common Pleas and of such other Courts of Record as are or shall be established by law, and all other judges required to be learned in the law, shall hold their offices for the term of ten years if they shall so long behave themselves well. The Associate judges of the Courts of Common Pleas shall hold their offices for the term of five years if they shall so long behave themselves well. But for any reasonable cause which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment, the Governor may remove any of them on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the legislature. The judges of the Supreme Court and the presidents of the several Courts of Common Pleas shall at stated times receive for their services an adequate compensation to be fixed by law, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office, but they shall receive no fees or perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit under this Commonwealth.
Of the supreme court, its judges
The Judges of the Supreme Court and of the several Courts of Common Pleas, shall hold their offices during good behaviour: But for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment, the Governor may remove any of them, on the address of two thirds of each branch of the legislature. The Judges of the Supreme Court, and the Presidents of the several Courts of Common Pleas shall, at stated times, receive, for their services, an adequate compensation, to be fixed by law, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office; but they shall receive no fees or perquisites of office, nor hold any other office of profit under this commonwealth.
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The Judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature shall have fixed Salaries, be Commissioned for Seven Years only, tho capable of Re-appointment at the End of that term, but removeable for misbehavour at any time by the General Assembly. They shall not be allowed to sit as members in the Continental Congress, Executive Council or General Assembly, nor to hold any other office Civil or Military, nor to take or receive Fees or Perquisites of any kind.