§ 78A-7-203. Term of office for justice court judge -- Retention.

(1) The term of a justice court judge is six years beginning the first Monday in January following the date of election.

(2) Upon the expiration of a justice court judge's term of office, the judge shall be subject to an unopposed retention election in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 20A-12-201:

(a) in the county or counties in which the court to which the judge is appointed is located if the judge is a county justice court judge or a municipal justice court judge in a town or city of the fourth or fifth class; or

(b) in the municipality in which the court to which the judge is appointed is located if the judge is a municipal justice court judge and Subsection (2)(a) does not apply.

(3) Before each retention election, each justice court judge shall be evaluated in accordance with the performance evaluation program established in Title 78A, Chapter 12, Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission Act.

(4) Notwithstanding Subsection (3), each justice court judge who is subject to a retention election in 2012, 2014, and 2016, and who is not a full-time justice court judge on July 1, 2012, shall be evaluated by the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission according to the following performance standards:

(a) the justice court judge shall have at least 30 annual hours of continuing legal education for each year of the justice court judge's current term;

(b) the justice court judge may not have more than one public reprimand issued by the Judicial Conduct Commission or the Supreme Court during the justice court judge's current term; and

(c) the justice court judge may not have had any cases under advisement for more than two months.

Amended by Chapter 205, 2012 General Session