Salary and compensation of judges

(a)(1) The annual salary of the judge of the Georgia State-wide Business Court shall be as specified in Code Section 45-7-4. Such salary shall be paid in equal monthly installments. (2) The judge of the Georgia State-wide Business Court shall receive expenses and allowances as provided for in Code Section 45-7-20. If the judge resides 50 miles or more from where the Georgia State-wide Business Court sits, such judge shall also receive a mileage allowance for the use of a personal motor vehicle when devoted to official business as provided for in Code Section 50-19-7, for not more than one round trip per calendar week to and from the judge’s residence and where the Georgia State-wide Business Court sits by the most practical route, during each regular and extraordinary session of court. In the event the judge travels by public carrier for any part of a round trip as provided above, such judge shall receive a travel allowance of actual transportation costs for each such part in lieu of the mileage allowance. Transportation costs incurred by the judge for air travel to and from the judge’s residence to where the Georgia State-wide Business Court sits shall be reimbursed only to the extent that such costs do not exceed the cost of travel by personal motor vehicle. All allowances provided for in this paragraph shall be paid upon the submission of proper vouchers. (3) If the judge resides 50 miles or more from where the Georgia State-wide Business Court sits, such judge shall also receive the same daily expense allowance as members of the General Assembly receive, as set forth in Code Section 28-1-8, for not more than 35 days during each term of court. Such days shall be utilized only when official court business is being conducted. All allowances provided for in this paragraph shall be paid upon the submission of proper vouchers. (b) The salary provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be the total compensation to be paid by the state to the judge of the 182 15-5A-9 STATE-WIDE BUSINESS COURT 15-5A-11 Georgia State-wide Business Court and shall be in lieu of any and all other amounts to be paid from state funds. History. — Code 1981, § 15-5A-9, enacted by Ga. L. 2019, p. 845, § 1-1/HB 239. 15-5A-10. Authority to make rules and revisions; creation of panel for revisions; guidelines for acceptance of cases; required rules. (a) The judge of the Georgia State-wide Business Court shall have responsibility for creating and, when needed, making revisions to the rules of the Georgia State-wide Business Court and submitting such rules and revisions to the Supreme Court for approval prior to such rules or revisions taking effect; provided, however, that such rules shall conform to Chapter 11 of Title 9, the ‘‘Georgia Civil Practice Act,’’ where related and applicable. (b) The judge of the Georgia State-wide Business Court is authorized to empanel a commission of up to eight individuals, who may be judges, to assist the judge in the creation or revision of such rules; provided, however, that such individuals shall not receive compensation for being empaneled but may receive a daily expense allowance and travel cost reimbursement in the amount specified in Code Section 45-7-21. (c) Such rules may include a matrix or guidelines for the acceptance of cases by the Georgia State-wide Business Court, including, but not limited to, such factors as the amount in controversy, the existence of novel or complex legal issues, and anticipated discovery issues needing the intervention of the Georgia State-wide Business Court. (d) Such rules shall include: (1) Guidelines and procedures for the filing of pleadings, petitions, motions, and all other documents, electronically or otherwise, with the Georgia State-wide Business Court; and (2) A reasonable time within which the Georgia State-wide Business Court shall issue a decision on a matter before the court. History. — Code 1981, § 15-5A-10, enacted by Ga. L. 2019, p. 845, § 1-1/HB 239. 15-5A-11. Clerk; appointment; term; compensation.