24-1206. Commission; basis for determination; report to Legislature; legislative action.

(1) The Judicial Resources Commission's determination of whether a judicial vacancy exists or a new judgeship, a reduction in judgeships, a change in number of judicial districts or boundaries, or the reallocation of a judgeship from a district, county, or separate juvenile court in one judicial district to a district, county, or separate juvenile court in another judicial district is appropriate pursuant to section 24-1204 or 24-1205 shall be based upon (a) its analysis of judicial workload statistics compiled pursuant to section 24-1007, (b) whether litigants in the judicial district have adequate access to the courts, (c) the population of the judicial district, (d) other judicial duties and travel time involved within the judicial district, and (e) other factors determined by the Supreme Court to be necessary to assure efficiency and maximum service. The State Court Administrator shall provide adequate administrative support and information as requested by the commission.

(2) After making a determination, the commission shall report the results electronically to the Legislature and recommend any legislative changes which are needed. If no changes in existing law are needed and none are recommended by the commission, no legislative action shall be necessary to fill any judicial vacancy determined to exist. The Legislature shall not create a new judgeship unless the commission recommends the creation of a new judgeship in its report. If legislative action is required but none is taken in the first legislative session commencing after receipt of the report by the Legislature, the commission shall hold another hearing on the matter and shall determine whether a judicial vacancy exists or again recommend legislative changes to the Legislature in its report.

Source:Laws 1995, LB 189, § 8; Laws 1997, LB 229, § 5; Laws 2012, LB782, § 27.