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1995 SESSION
LD2179460RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, a majority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby is, proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, namely:
Amend Section 7 of Article VI of the Constitution of Virginia as follows:
The justices of the Supreme Court shall be chosen by the vote of a
majority of the members elected to each house of the General
Assembly elected by the qualified voters of the Commonwealth
for terms of twelve years and until their successors are elected and
qualified. The judges of all other courts of record shall be
chosen by the vote of a majority of the members elected to each house of
the General Assembly elected by the qualified voters of the
Commonwealth or of their respective districts, as provided by law, for
terms of eight years. During any vacancy which may exist while the
General Assembly is not in session, the Governor may appoint a successor to
serve until thirty days after the commencement of the next session of the
General Assembly. Upon election by the General Assembly, a new justice or
judge shall begin service of a full term. and until their
successors are elected and qualified. Vacancies shall be filled as provided
by law. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the implementation of
this section beginning with the November general election in nineteen hundred
ninety-seven. Terms shall begin the January one following the November
general election. The term of any justice or judge in office January one,
nineteen hundred ninety-seven, may be extended no longer than one year as
provided by law to establish a schedule for the election of justices and
judges.
All justices of the Supreme Court and all judges of other courts of record
shall be residents of the Commonwealth and shall, at least five years prior
to their appointment or election, have been admitted to the bar of the
Commonwealth. Each judge of a trial court of record shall during his term of
office reside within the jurisdiction of one of the courts to which he was
appointed or elected; provided, however, that where the boundary of such
jurisdiction is changed by annexation or otherwise, no judge thereof shall
thereby become disqualified from office or ineligible for reelection
if, except for such annexation or change, he would otherwise be
qualified.