HB 161 -- Associate Circuit Judges

Sponsor:  Smith

This bill authorizes 3 associate circuit judges in counties with
a population of 100,000 or more and one additional judge for
each 100,000 inhabitants in those counties.  Current law allows
2 associate circuit judges for those counties and an additional
judge for a major fraction of 100,000 inhabitants.  In addition,
the bill requires a county's population to be determined by the
last previous decennial U.S. census.  After the 2000 census, the
number of associate judges may be adjusted when population
estimates by the U.S. Bureau of the Census indicate for 3
consecutive years that the population has increased to the
required level.