HOUSE FILE 190

BY  COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 58)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the appointment of a district associate judge.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 602.6305, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2011, are amended to read as follows:
   2.  A person does not qualify for appointment to the office of district associate judge unless the person is at the time of appointment a resident of the county judicial election district in which the vacancy exists, licensed to practice law in Iowa, and will be able, measured by the person’s age at the time of appointment, to complete the initial term of office prior to reaching age seventy-two. An applicant for district associate judge shall file a certified application form, to be provided by the supreme court, with the chairperson of the county magistrate appointing commission.
   3.  A district associate judge must be a resident of a county the judicial election district in which the office is held during the entire term of office. A district associate judge shall serve within the judicial district in which appointed, as directed by the chief judge, and is subject to reassignment under section 602.6108.
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to the appointment of a district associate judge.
   The amendments to Code section 602.6305 allow a district associate judge to reside in the judicial election district at the time of appointment and throughout the entire term of office. Currently, a district associate judge is required to reside in the county where the vacancy exists at the time of appointment and throughout the entire term of office.