Section 36-32-27. Mandatory training of municipal judges

   (a) Any person who becomes a municipal judge on or after January 1, 1991, shall satisfactorily complete 20 hours of training in the performance of his or her duties within one year after the date of his or her election or appointment in order to become certified under this article. Any person serving as a municipal judge prior to January 1, 1991, shall be exempt from completing these 20 hours of training.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, any person who becomes a judge of a court exercising municipal court jurisdiction on or after July 1, 2012, who is not subject to subsection (a) of this Code section, shall satisfactorily complete 20 hours of training in the performance of his or her duties within one year after the date of his or her election or appointment in order to become certified under this article. Any person serving as a judge of a court exercising municipal court jurisdiction prior to July 1, 2012, who is not subject to subsection (a) of this Code section, shall be exempt from completing these 20 hours of training.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, in order to maintain the status of a certified municipal judge or a certified judge of a court exercising municipal court jurisdiction, he or she shall complete 12 hours of additional training per annum during each calendar year after the year of his or her initial certification in which he or she serves as municipal judge or as judge of a court exercising municipal court jurisdiction.

(d) This Code section shall not apply to any magistrate judge, probate judge, or any judge of a court of record who presides in a court exercising municipal court jurisdiction.

Code 1981, § 36-32-27, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 882, § 2; Ga. L. 2012, p. 1096, § 2/SB 351.