Requirements

Except as provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 15-18-60, each solicitor-general of the state court must: (1) Upon taking office, permanently reside within the judicial circuit containing the geographic area in which such person shall serve; (2) Be at least 25 years of age; and (3) Have been admitted and licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia for at least three years. (Code 1981, § 15-18-62, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 748, § 2.) Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 1996, p. 748, § 30, not codified by the General Assembly, provides in subsection (b): ‘‘The provisions of paragraph (3) of Code Section 15-18-62, relating to the qualifications for the office of solicitor-general of a state court, shall apply to any person elected or appointed to such office after July 1, 1996. Any person holding such office on July 1, 1996, may continue to hold such office for the remainder of the term to which such person was elected or appointed notwithstanding the fact that such person has not been a member of the State Bar of Georgia for three years if such person is otherwise qualified to hold the office of solicitor-general.’’ 15-18-63. Part-time and full-time solicitors-general and employees; private practice of law. (a) The General Assembly by local law shall determine whether the solicitor-general shall be a full-time or part-time solicitor-general. (b) A full-time solicitor-general of the state court or any full-time employees of the solicitor-general shall not engage in the private practice of law. 348 15-18-65 (c) A part-time solicitor-general of the state court and any part-time assistant solicitor-general may engage in the private practice of law but shall not represent defendants in criminal matters in such solicitor-general’s state court or appear on behalf of any client, other than the state, in any matter that is within the duties of such solicitor-general. (Code 1981, § 15-18-63, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 748, § 2; Ga. L. 2013, p. 674, § 1/SB 96.) The 2013 amendment, effective July 1, 2013, in subsection (b), substituted ‘‘shall not engage’’ for ‘‘may not engage’’; and, in subsection (c), substituted ‘‘law but shall not represent defendants in criminal matters’’ for ‘‘law, but may not practice’’ near the middle and substituted ‘‘or appear on behalf of any client, other than the state, in any matter that is within the duties of such solicitor-general’’ for ‘‘or appear in any matter in which that solicitor-general has exercised jurisdiction’’ at the end.