HJR 47

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 8 of
3	Article V of the State Constitution to increase the period
4	of time that a person must be a member of The Florida Bar
5	before becoming eligible for the office of circuit court
6	or county court judge.
7
8	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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10	That the following amendment to Section 8 of Article V of
11	the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
12	the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
13	general election or at an earlier special election specifically
14	authorized by law for that purpose:
15	ARTICLE V
16	JUDICIARY
17	SECTION 8.  Eligibility.-No person shall be eligible for
18	office of justice or judge of any court unless the person is an
19	elector of the state and resides in the territorial jurisdiction
20	of the court. No justice or judge shall serve after attaining
21	the age of seventy years except upon temporary assignment or to
22	complete a term, one-half of which has been served. No person is
23	eligible for the office of justice of the supreme court, or
24	judge of a district court of appeal, circuit court judge, or
25	county court judge unless the person is, and has been for the
26	preceding ten years, a member of the bar of Florida. No person
27	is eligible for the office of circuit judge unless the person
28	is, and has been for the preceding five years, a member of the
29	bar of Florida. Unless otherwise provided by general law, no
30	person is eligible for the office of county court judge unless
31	the person is, and has been for the preceding five years, a
32	member of the bar of Florida. Unless otherwise provided by
33	general law, a person shall be eligible for election or
34	appointment to the office of county court judge in a county
35	having a population of 40,000 or less if the person is a member
36	in good standing of the bar of Florida.
37	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
38	placed on the ballot:
39	CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
40	ARTICLE V, SECTION 8
41	INCREASING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE OFFICES OF CIRCUIT
42	COURT AND COUNTY COURT JUDGES.-The State Constitution currently
43	prohibits a person from serving as a circuit court judge unless
44	the person is, and has been for the proceeding 5 years, a member
45	of The Florida Bar. This same prohibition applies to county
46	court judges, except in counties having a population of 40,000
47	or fewer, where a person need only be a member in good standing
48	of The Florida Bar. This proposed amendment increases to 10
49	years the period of time that a person must be a member of The
50	Florida Bar before serving as a circuit court judge or a county
51	court judge in any county.

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