A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide that special superior court judges are appointed by the general assembly.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 7A‑45.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 7A‑45.1.  Special judges.
(a)	The General Assembly may appoint special superior court judges to serve a five‑year term when any of the following occurs for the special superior court judges holding office on or after January 1, 2017:
(1)	Retirement of the incumbent judge.
(2)	Resignation of the incumbent judge.
(3)	Removal from office of the incumbent judge.
(4)	Death of the incumbent judge.
(5)	Expiration of the term of the incumbent judge.
(6)	For any other reason that causes a judgeship to become vacant.
A special judge takes the same oath of office and is subject to the same requirements and disabilities as are or may be prescribed by law for regular judges of the superior court, save the requirement of residence in a particular district.

	

	

	

	

	As each judgeship becomes vacant or the term expires, the General Assembly shall appoint a new special superior court judge to fill that seat.
Appointments shall then be made by enactment of a bill. The bill shall state the name of the person being appointed, the office to which the appointment is being made, and the county of residence of the appointee.

(a11)	The Chief Justice is requested, pursuant to the authority under G.S. 7A‑45.3 to designate business court judges, to maintain at least five business court judgeships from among the special superior court judgeships authorized under this section.
(b)	A special judge is subject to removal from office for the same causes and in the same manner as a regular judge of the superior court.
(c)	A special judge, in any court in which he is duly appointed to hold, has the same power and authority in all matters that a regular judge holding the same court would have. A special judge, duly assigned to hold the court of a particular county, has during the session of court in that county, in open court and in chambers, the same power and authority of a regular judge in all matters arising in the district or set of districts as defined in G.S. 7A‑41.1(a) in which that county is located, that could properly be heard or determined by a regular judge holding the same session of court.
(d)	A special judge is authorized to settle cases on appeal and to make all proper orders in regard thereto after the time for which he was commissioned has expired."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.