House Bill 1330

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 9-11-3 AND 9-11-4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE JUDICIAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR JUSTICE COURT JUDGES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 9-11-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

9-11-3. (1) Except as otherwise provided herein, no justice court judge elected for a full term of office commencing on or after January 1, 1992, shall exercise the judicial functions of his office or be eligible to take the oath of office unless he has filed in the office of the chancery clerk a certificate of completion of a course of training and education conducted by the Mississippi Judicial College of the University of Mississippi Law Center within six (6) months of the beginning of the term for which such justice is elected. A justice court judge who has completed the course of training and education and has satisfied his annual continuing education course requirements, and who is then elected for a succeeding term of office subsequent to the initial term for which he completed the training course, shall not be required to repeat the training and education course upon reelection.

(2) In addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, after taking office, each justice court judge shall be required to file annually in the office of the chancery clerk a certificate of completion of four (4) courses of continuing education conducted by the Mississippi Judicial College.

(3) The requirements for obtaining each of the certificates in subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall be as provided in Section 9-11-4.

(4) Upon the failure of any justice court judge to file with the chancery clerk the certificates of completion as provided in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, such justice court judge shall, in addition to any other fine or punishment provided by law for such conduct, not be entitled to compensation for the period of time during which such certificates remain unfiled.

SECTION 2. Section 9-11-4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

9-11-4. (1) The Mississippi Judicial College of the University of Mississippi Law Center shall prepare and conduct courses of training for basic and continuing education for justice court judges of this state. The basic course of training shall be known as the "Justice Court Judge Training Course" and shall consist of at least thirty-two (32) hours of training. The continuing education course shall be known as the "Continuing Education Course for Justice Court Judges," and shall consist of at least twenty-four (24) hours of training. Justice court judges shall attend at least four (4) courses each year. The content of the basic and continuing education courses and when and where such courses are to be conducted shall be determined by the Judicial College. The Judicial College shall issue certificates of completion to those justice court judges who complete such courses.

(2) All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic and continuing education courses provided for in subsection (1) of this section shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the Judicial College upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.