CRC - 2017                                                  P 47
       
       
        
       By Commissioner Schifino
       
       schifinow-00063A-17                                     201747__
    1                         A proposal to amend                       
    2         Section 8 of Article V and to create a new section in
    3         Article XII of the State Constitution to require a
    4         person to have at least ten years membership in The
    5         Florida Bar in order to be eligible to serve in a
    6         judicial office.
    7          
    8  Be It Proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission of
    9  Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 8 of Article V of the State Constitution is amended
   12  to read:
   13                              ARTICLE V                            
   14                              JUDICIARY                            
   15         SECTION 8. Eligibility.—No person shall be eligible for
   16  office of justice or judge of any court unless the person is an
   17  elector of the state and resides in the territorial jurisdiction
   18  of the court. No justice or judge shall serve after attaining
   19  the age of seventy years except upon temporary assignment or to
   20  complete a term, one-half of which has been served. No person is
   21  eligible for the office of justice or judge of any court of the
   22  supreme court or judge of a district court of appeal unless the
   23  person is, and has been for the preceding ten years, a member of
   24  the bar of Florida. No person is eligible for the office of
   25  circuit judge unless the person is, and has been for the
   26  preceding five years, a member of the bar of Florida. Unless
   27  otherwise provided by general law, no person is eligible for the
   28  office of county court judge unless the person is, and has been
   29  for the preceding five years, a member of the bar of Florida.
   30  Unless otherwise provided by general law, a person shall be
   31  eligible for election or appointment to the office of county
   32  court judge in a county having a population of 40,000 or less if
   33  the person is a member in good standing of the bar of Florida.
   34  
   35         A new section is added to Article XII of the State
   36  Constitution to read:
   37                             ARTICLE XII                           
   38                              SCHEDULE                             
   39         Qualifications of circuit judges and county court judges.
   40  The amendment to Section 8 of Article V, which revises the
   41  qualifications for a person to be eligible for the office of
   42  circuit judge and county court judge, shall only apply
   43  prospectively from January 8, 2019. The amendment may not be
   44  construed to affect a person who has assumed the office of
   45  circuit judge or county court judge on or before January 8,
   46  2019, or any person who has been nominated for a vacancy in the
   47  office of circuit judge or county court judge by a judicial
   48  nominating commission, but has not yet assumed office, as of
   49  January 8, 2019.