Bill > SB2025

This bill establishes a pilot project to create criminal magistrates in the ten Tennessee counties with the highest judicial caseloads, as identified by the state's annual weighted caseload study. If a county's legislative body, such as the county commission, approves the creation of this position through an ordinance, the judges who handle criminal cases in that county will appoint the criminal magistrate. These magistrates will serve at the discretion of the majority of these judges, and their duties will include conducting arraignments, initial appearance hearings, determining indigency, accepting guilty pleas for certain offenses, issuing warrants, holding preliminary hearings, and reviewing collateral petitions, which are legal requests related to a case after the initial judgment, such as motions to modify sentences or post-conviction relief. The criminal magistrates will serve four-year terms and can be removed by a majority vote of the criminal court judges, with their compensation determined by the judges and approved by the county legislative body.