(a) (1) The qualified electors of the Second Judicial District shall elect:
(A) Three (3) circuit judges;
(B) Three (3) chancellors;
(C) One (1) circuit-chancery judge; and
(D) One (1) circuit-chancery judgeship.
(2) (A) There is created in the Second Judicial District an additional circuit judgeship which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, probate, and juvenile matters.
(B) (i) The additional judge shall be elected from the district and shall satisfy the same qualifications for holding office and shall receive the same salary, expenses, and other allowances as provided by law for judges of the circuit courts.
(ii) The judge shall serve for elected terms of six (6) years.
(C) The counties which compose the Second Judicial District shall provide courtroom and office facilities and supplies for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section, which shall be paid out of the county treasuries in the same manner as other demands against the counties, out of funds appropriated by the respective quorum courts of the counties for such purposes.
(D) There shall be provided for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section a court reporter and a trial court administrative assistant whose salaries shall be fixed and paid in the manner provided by law for court reporters and trial court administrative assistants of the circuit courts of this state.
(b) (1) The judge of the judgeship created by subdivision (a)(1)(C) of this section shall be the judge of the juvenile division of chancery court. The judge shall serve as judge of the juvenile division in lieu of the judge who would otherwise be designated as judge of the juvenile division of chancery court in the judicial district.
(2) The judge of the additional circuit-chancery judgeship created in subdivision (a)(1)(C) of this section shall devote such time as may be required to perform the duties of judge of the juvenile division, which duties shall be the primary obligation of the judge, and shall sit as judge of the circuit, chancery, or probate court as time permits.
(3) The circuit-chancery judgeship created by subdivision (a)(1)(D) of this section shall primarily perform the duties of a judge of the juvenile division of chancery court and conduct hearings for the involuntary admission or commitment of persons to the Arkansas State Hospital or any other public or private hospital with a fully trained psychiatrist on the active or consultant staff and shall sit as judge of the circuit, chancery, and probate courts as time permits.
(c) Effective February 27, 1995, the subdistrict 2.2, division 2, and division 3 circuit judgeships shall become circuit-chancery judgeships which shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate.
(d) All circuit judges and all chancery judges of the Second Judicial District which have not already been converted to circuit-chancery judges on February 28, 1997, shall be converted to circuit-chancery judges at the expiration of their present term of office, and, upon election, their successors shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, and probate.
(e) (1) Effective July 1, 2007, there is created in the Second Judicial District an additional circuit judgeship that shall have jurisdiction in law, equity, probate, and juvenile matters.
(2) The Governor shall appoint a qualified person who is a resident of the district to temporarily fill the Second Judicial District circuit judgeship created by subdivision (e)(1) of this section, and the appointed person shall serve until January 1, 2009, or until a successor has been elected and qualified.
(3) (A) The qualified electors of the district shall elect the additional circuit judge created by subdivision (e)(1) of this section at the 2008 preferential primary election to take office on January 1, 2009.
(B) The additional circuit judge shall be elected from the district, shall satisfy the same qualifications for holding office, and shall receive the same salary, expenses, and other allowances as provided by law for judges of the circuit courts.
(C) The circuit judge shall serve for elected terms of six (6) years.
(4) The counties that compose the Second Judicial District shall provide courtroom and office facilities and supplies for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by subdivision (e)(1) of this section, which shall be paid out of the county treasuries in the same manner as other demands against the counties and out of funds appropriated by the respective quorum courts of the counties for these purposes.
(5) There shall be provided for the judge of the circuit judgeship created by subdivision (e)(1) of this section a court reporter and a trial court administrative assistant whose salaries shall be fixed and paid in the manner provided by law for court reporters and trial court administrative assistants of the circuit courts of this state.
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