Private Acts of 1982 Chapter 307

SECTION 1.  As used in this act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)  "Court" means the Juvenile Court of Gibson County.

(b)  "Judge" means the Judge of the Juvenile Court of Gibson County.

(c)  "Clerk" means an elected juvenile court clerk or deputy clerks of the juvenile court of Gibson County.

SECTION 2. Effective September 1, 1982, there is created in Gibson County a Juvenile Court to be known and styled as the Juvenile Court of Gibson County.  Such court shall be a court of record and shall be presided over by a judge who shall have the qualifications and salary provided by this act.

SECTION 3. At the next Regular Election for county officials to be held in August, 1982, and every eight (8) years thereafter, a person licensed to practice law in this state and possessing all of the other qualifications required by law, shall be elected Judge of the Juvenile Court of Gibson County for a term of eight (8) years.  The judge shall take and subscribe to the same oath of office as that prescribed by judge of circuit courts.  In the event the office of judge shall become vacant by reason of death, resignation, retirement or other reason before the expiration of the term of office or before a successor is elected and qualified, such vacancy shall be filled as provided by law.

SECTION 4. (a) The juvenile court clerk of Gibson County shall be elected by the qualified voters of Gibson County as provided in this section.

(b) The juvenile court clerk elected pursuant to this section shall serve as the clerk of the Gibson County juvenile court and any of such clerk’s deputies shall also be deputies for the juvenile court created by this act.

(c) The person elected to the office of juvenile court clerk of Gibson County shall be a citizen of Gibson County and shall continuously reside within such county.

(d) At the August 2002 general election, and every four (4) years thereafter, the qualified voters of Gibson County shall elect a person to serve as the Gibson County juvenile court clerk for a term of four (4) years.

(e) The person elected to the office of juvenile court clerk of Gibson County shall take office on September 1, next following such person’s election and shall hold office until such person’s successor is elected and qualified.  Any vacancy in the office of juvenile court clerk shall be filled by appointment of the Gibson County Commission as provided by law.  The Gibson County Commission shall appoint a person to serve as juvenile court clerk from July 1, 2000 until the elected juvenile court clerk takes office on September 1, 2002.  Such appointed clerk shall be required to have the same qualifications as are provided by this section for the elected clerk.

(f) The juvenile court clerk appointed and elected pursuant to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section shall receive compensation of thirty-two thousand dollars ($32,000) each fiscal year.  The juvenile court clerk shall also receive any annual raises given to county employees by the Gibson County Commission.

(g) All records of the juvenile court of Gibson County shall be transferred from the office and jurisdiction of the county clerk of Gibson County to that of the juvenile court clerk of Gibson County as soon as practicable following appointment of the juvenile court clerk as provided in subsection (e) of this section, but in no event later than thirty (30) days following such appointment.

SECTION 5.  The Judge and Clerk of such Juvenile Court shall have all of the jurisdiction, powers, duties, and authority of other Juvenile Court Judges and Clerks as provided in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37 or any other general law.

SECTION 6.  The Judge of the Gibson County Juvenile Court shall receive the same compensation as the most highly compensated general sessions court judge in the county.

As amended by: Private Acts of 2022, Chapter 38

SECTION 7.  The position of Juvenile Judge shall be a full-time position, and such judge shall not be allowed to participate in the practice of law.

As amended by: Private Acts of 2022, Chapter 38

SECTION 8.  The judge is authorized to make and promulgate rules and regulations for the administration and efficient operation of the court and to fix the times and places at which all persons within the jurisdiction of the court shall have their causes set for disposition.

SECTION 9.  The judge shall, pursuant to the law and regulations of Gibson County, appoint such personnel as may be necessary to efficiently carry on the business of the court.  All such appointments shall be limited by the total appropriations made for such personnel during each fiscal year.

SECTION 10.  The Sheriff of Gibson County shall furnish the necessary deputies and special deputies to attend and dispense with the business of the court.

SECTION 11.  The county legislative body shall provide the court with facilities adequate and sufficient to allow the court to perform its various duties as a Juvenile Court.

SECTION 12.   All unfinished and pending matters in the court or courts exercising Juvenile Court jurisdiction prior to the date this act takes effect shall be transferred to the court created by this act at the close of business on the day preceding the day this act becomes effective.  On such date, all official books, records and other documents pertaining to any matter within the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court shall be delivered to such court.

SECTION 13.  If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.

SECTION 14.  This act shall have no effect unless it is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the county legislative body of Gibson County.  Its approval or non-approval shall be proclaimed by the presiding officer of the Gibson County legislative body and certified by him to the Secretary of State.

SECTION 15.  For the purpose of approving or rejecting the provisions of this act, it shall be effective upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.  For all other purposes, Section 3 of this act shall be effective upon being approved as provided in Section 14, the public welfare requiring it.  The remaining sections shall become effective on September 1, 1982, if properly approved by the county legislative body of Gibson County.

Passed:  April 6, 1982.