Tennessee § 16-2-513 - Formula for determining need for additional judges — Annual report.

§ 16-2-513. Formula for determining need for additional judges — Annual report.

The comptroller of the treasury shall devise and maintain a weighted caseload formula for the purpose of determining the need for creation or reallocation of judicial positions using case weights derived from the most recent weighted caseload study. The comptroller of the treasury shall update the formula at least annually. The comptroller of the treasury may adjust the formula as necessary to reflect the impact of any legislative enactment that is material to judicial caseloads. Each district attorney general and each public defender, separately or through the appropriate conference, the council of juvenile and family court judges and the administrative office of the courts shall provide to the comptroller of the treasury information that the comptroller of the treasury determines is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. This information shall include caseload totals by appropriate case type for each study and total number of judicial, child support magistrates, district attorney and public defender resources for each district, noting how many are funded by the federal, state or local government. This data is to be provided to the comptroller in electronic and hard copy form on or before October 15 of each year. Using such formula, information and adjustments, the comptroller of the treasury shall annually publish a weighted caseload report analyzing the current distribution of judicial positions throughout the state as well as the current need, if any, for creation of or reallocation of such positions. The processing of case data by the administrative office of the courts for the purpose of providing the comptroller of the treasury with the information necessary to complete the weighted caseload study shall be subject to audit by the comptroller of the treasury. The audit shall ensure that the validation, verification and compilation of case data are performed in accordance with § 16-1-117(a). Acts 1984, ch. 931, § 13; 1989, ch. 240, §§ 1-4; 2001, ch. 408, § 5; 2002, ch. 791, § 5; 2009, ch. 235, § 1. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2009, ch. 235, § 1 directed the code commission to change all references from “child support referee” to “child support magistrate” and to include all such changes in supplements and replacement volumes for the Tennessee Code Annotated. Amendments. The 2009 amendment substituted “child support magistrates” for “child support referees” in (b). Effective Dates. Acts 2009, ch. 235, § 2. May 20, 2009. Attorney General Opinions. Legislature’s authority to eliminate specific judicial positions. OAG 14-54, 2014 Tenn. AG LEXIS 56 (5/12/14)