Senate Bill 0758

    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SJR 758

    By Senator Forman





    32-488-99

  1                 Senate Joint Resolution No.     

  2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to

  3         Section 8 of Article V of the State

  4         Constitution, relating to eligibility for

  5         judicial office, to increase the age beyond

  6         which a justice or judge may not serve, except

  7         on temporary assignment or to complete a term,

  8         from 70 to 75.

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10  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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12         That the following amendment to Section 8 of Article V

13  of the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted

14  to the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the

15  next general election or at an earlier special election

16  specifically authorized by law for that purpose:

17                            ARTICLE V

18                            JUDICIARY

19         SECTION 8.  Eligibility.--No person shall be eligible

20  for office of justice or judge of any court unless the person

21  is an elector of the state and resides in the territorial

22  jurisdiction of the court.  No justice or judge shall serve

23  after attaining the age of seventy-five seventy years except

24  upon temporary assignment or to complete a term, one-half of

25  which has been served.  No person is eligible for the office

26  of justice of the supreme court or judge of a district court

27  of appeal unless the person is, and has been for the preceding

28  ten years, a member of the bar of Florida.  No person is

29  eligible for the office of circuit judge unless the person is,

30  and has been for the preceding five years, a member of the bar

31  of Florida.  Unless otherwise provided by general law, no

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SJR 758
    32-488-99




  1  person is eligible for the office of county court judge unless

  2  the person is, and has been for the preceding five years, a

  3  member of the bar of Florida.  Unless otherwise provided by

  4  general law, a person shall be eligible for election or

  5  appointment to the office of county court judge in a county

  6  having a population of 40,000 or less if the person is a

  7  member in good standing of the bar of Florida.

  8         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be

  9  placed on the ballot:

10                    CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

11                       ARTICLE V, SECTION 8

12         RETIREMENT AGE; JUSTICES AND JUDGES.--Proposing an

13  amendment to the State Constitution to raise the mandatory

14  retirement age for justices and judges from 70 to 75.

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