§ 12-21. Required training for judges of Municipal Courts.

(a)

All judges of the Municipal Courts shall periodically satisfactorily complete a training course as provided in O.C.G.A. § 36-32-11.

(b)

If any municipal judge does not satisfactorily complete the required training in any year, the State Municipal Courts Training Council shall promptly notify the judicial qualifications commission, which shall remove the municipal judge from office unless the judicial qualifications commission finds that the failure was caused by facts beyond the control of the municipal judge.

(c)

The reasonable costs and expenses of such training shall be paid by the governing authority of the municipality from municipal funds.

(d)

Any person who becomes a municipal judge shall satisfactorily complete 20 hours of training in the performance of his duties, and shall attend the first scheduled training session held after the date of his election or appointment in order to become certified under this article.

(e)

In order to maintain the status of a certified municipal judge, each person certified as such shall complete 12 hours of additional training per annum during each calendar year after the year of his initial certification in which he serves as municipal judge.

(Code 1997, § 5-103)