§2561.5. Judges; qualifications and salary; election of additional judges

A. This court shall have two judges whose term of office shall be six years each, and who shall be elected by the qualified electors residing within the territorial boundaries of the court; provided that the additional judge to be elected hereunder shall be elected initially and shall serve an initial term as provided in Subsection (B). Each judge shall possess the same qualifications that are required of district judges and shall receive an annual salary of not less than seventeen thousand five hundred dollars each, but shall be less than the salary paid; from all sources, to the district court judges of the Twenty-fourth Judicial District Court, in and for the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, payable monthly on his own warrant, and the governing authority of Jefferson Parish shall determine the salary paid and shall provide for the entire salary of each judge in its annual budget. Each judge shall be a qualified, resident elector of the territorial jurisdiction of the court for at least two years prior to his election or appointment.

B. For the purpose of nomination and election only, there is created in the First Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson two divisions to be known as Division "A" and Division "B". Division "A" shall be occupied by the judge of the court who is holding office on June 30, 1969, and Division "B" shall be occupied by the additional judge created by this section. The additional judge for the First Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson shall have the same qualifications and shall be elected at the same time and in the same manner, shall serve the same term of office and shall be entitled to the same compensation and expenses, payable from the same sources, as is now or may be hereafter provided for the other judge of the First Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson, except that the first judge to fill the additional judgeship herein created may be appointed by the governor until a special election can be held for the position, which election shall be called by the governor, and the judge so elected shall serve a term to expire at the same time as the term of the other judge of the said parish court. Thereafter, the judge shall serve a six-year term concurrent with that of the judges of the Twenty-fourth Judicial District Court. Each candidate for nomination or election for judge of court in the First Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson, at the time of his qualification therefor, shall specify the division from which he seeks nomination or election. No candidate shall qualify for nomination or election from more than one division.

Acts 1962, No. 484, §5. Amended by Acts 1965, No. 74, §1; Acts 1967, No. 85, §1; Acts 1968, Ex.Sess., No. 43, §1; Acts 1969, No. 156, §1.