SB 81 – Authorizes additional circuit judges for certain circuits when indicated by annual judicial performance report and provides that Division Twelve of the 16th Judicial Circuit shall sit in the City of Independence

• Sponsor: Dixon
• LR Number: 0296S.01I
• Committee: Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence
• Last Action: 3/17/2015 - SCS Voted Do Pass S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee (0296S.02C)
• Effective Date: August 28, 2015

Current Bill Summary

SCS/SB 81 - Currently, counties with a population of one hundred thousand or more have three associate circuit judges and one additional associate circuit judge for each additional one hundred thousand people. The act states that the additional associate judicial position for every one hundred thousand people shall be subject to appropriations.

This act provides that when an annual judicial performance report indicates for three consecutive years that a judicial circuit with a population of one hundred thousand people or more is in need of four or more full-time judicial positions then, subject to appropriations, there shall be one additional circuit judge position authorized in that circuit.

Division Twelve of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit shall sit at the City of Independence, rather than Kansas City.

The act also repeals sections of law referencing the appointment of a janitor-messenger in the circuit court of the City of St. Louis.

The act is identical to provisions contained in SS/SCS/HB 799 (2015) and similar to SB 614 (2014).

JESSI BAKER