AMENDMENT 607 RATIFIED

Amendment of Amendment No. 334.

Amendment No. 334

All vacancies in the office of judge of the circuit court and the office of judge of the district court holding in Madison County shall be filled in the manner and for the time as herein provided.

The Madison County Judicial Commission is created for the purpose of nominating to the Governor persons for appointment to such a vacancy. The commission shall be composed of nine members. The members of the commission shall be two persons who are members of the Alabama State Bar, one judge of the circuit court holding in Madison County, two members appointed by Members of the Alabama House of Representatives who represent Madison County, irrespective of whether such Members of the House of Representatives reside in Madison County, two members appointed by Members of the Alabama Senate who represent Madison County, irrespective of whether such Members of the Senate reside in Madison County, and two members appointed jointly by these Members of the House of Representatives and Members of the Senate.

All members of the commission shall reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the circuit court holding in Madison County.

The two members of the commission who are required to be members of the Alabama State Bar shall be elected by the members of such bar who are regularly licensed and qualified to practice law in this state and who reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the circuit court holding in Madison County. The Executive Committee of the Madison County Bar Association or its successor body in such capacity, is authorized and directed to make rules, not inconsistent with this amendment, for the election of such members of the commission as are required to be members of the Alabama State Bar. The executive committee shall certify in writing to the Judge of Probate of Madison County the names of the persons elected as members of the commission by these members of the bar.

The Members of the Alabama House of Representatives who represent Madison County, irrespective of whether these members reside in Madison County, shall make one initial appointment of a member of the commission immediately upon the adoption of the amendment adding this amendatory language and shall make the other initial appointment upon the first expiration of the term of office of a member previously appointed pursuant to this amendment by the Senators and Representatives in the Alabama Legislature residing in Madison County. These Members of the Alabama House of Representatives representing Madison County shall make all succeeding appointments to these two positions. These appointees shall not be members of the Alabama State Bar.

The Members of the Alabama Senate representing Madison County, irrespective of whether these members reside in Madison County, shall make one initial appointment of a member of the commission immediately upon the adoption of the amendment adding this amendatory language and shall make the other initial appointment upon the expiration of the term of office of the last member previously appointed pursuant to this amendment by the Senators and Representatives of the Alabama Legislature residing in Madison County. These Members of the Alabama Senate representing Madison County shall make all succeeding appointments to these two positions. These appointees shall not be members of the Alabama State Bar.

The Members of the House of Representatives and Senate representing Madison County, irrespective of whether these members reside in Madison County, shall jointly make two initial appointments upon the adoption of the amendment adding this amendatory language. These Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate shall jointly make all succeeding appointments to these two positions. These appointees shall not be members of the Alabama State Bar.

These Members of the House of Representatives and Senate, respectively, shall certify in writing to the Judge of Probate of Madison County the names of persons appointed by them to the commission.

The judges of the circuit court holding in Madison County shall elect the member of the commission who is required to be a judge of the circuit court. The judges of the circuit court shall certify in writing to the judge of probate the name of the circuit judge elected by the circuit judges as a member.

The terms of office of all members of the commission shall be six years. A vacancy in the office of a member of the commission shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the member was originally chosen.

The Judge of Probate of Madison County shall record all such certificates of election and shall safely and permanently keep the original certificates. Forthwith upon his or her receipt and recordation of every certificate, the judge of probate shall send to the Governor a certified copy of every certificate.

No member of the commission shall be eligible for nomination to the Governor for appointment as judge of the circuit court or the district court during the term of office of the commission member.

The members of the commission shall not receive any salary or other compensation for their services as members. No member of the commission other than the member required to be a judge of the circuit court shall hold any public office, and no member of the commission shall hold any official position in any political party.

If a vacancy occurs in the office of judge of the circuit court or the office of judge of the district court holding in Madison County, the commission shall nominate to the Governor three persons having the qualifications for the office. The names of all persons considered for nomination shall be available for review by the public and shall be deemed a public record. A nomination shall be made only by the concurrence of at least five members of the commission, which vote shall be conducted at a public meeting. The member of the commission elected by the judges of the circuit court holding in Madison County shall only vote on matters before the commission in instances when the vote by other commission members has resulted in a tie. The Governor shall appoint to the office in which the vacancy exists one of the three persons so nominated for the office. If the Governor fails to make an appointment from the list within 30 days from the date it is presented to the Governor, the appointment shall be made by the Chief Justice or the acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from the same list. The appointee shall hold such office until the next general election for any state officer held at least six months after the vacancy occurs and until a successor is elected and qualified. At the general election, the judicial office shall be filled for a full term of office to commence on the first Monday after the second Tuesday in January following the general election.