GA Code § 15-6-27 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 15 - Courts|Chapter 6 - Superior Courts|Article 1 - General Provisions|§ 15-6-27. Procedure for Hiring Personnel Employed by Superior Court Judges; Local Supplements

  All state paid personnel employed by the superior court judges pursuant to this article shall be employees of the judicial branch of state government and shall be in the unclassified service as defined by Code Section 45-20-2.   Personnel employed pursuant to this Code section shall have such authority, duties, powers, and responsibilities as are assigned by the appointing superior court judge or as authorized by law or by the uniform policies and procedures established by The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia and shall serve at the pleasure of the superior court judge.   Subject to the provisions of this Code section, The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia shall adopt and amend uniform policies, rules, and regulations which shall apply to all state paid personnel employed by the superior court judges. Such policies, rules, and regulations may include provisions for appointment, classification, transfers, leave, travel, records, reports, and training of personnel. To the maximum extent possible and consistent with the duties and responsibilities of the superior court judges and the rules of the trial and appellate courts, such policies, rules, and regulations shall be similar to policies, rules, and regulations governing other state employees; provided, however, that no policy shall be implemented which reduces the salary of any personnel employed on July 1, 1997. Not less than 30 days prior to taking final action on any proposed policy, rule, or regulation adopted pursuant to this Code section, or any amendment thereto, the council shall transmit a copy of the policy, rule, regulation, or amendment to all superior court judges and the chairpersons of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives and the Judiciary Committee of the Senate.   State paid personnel employed by a superior court judge shall be entitled to annual, sick, and other leave authorized by the policies, rules, or regulations adopted by the council.   Subject to the provisions of Code Sections 15-6-25 and 15-6-28, the council shall annually promulgate salary schedules for each state paid position. Salaries shall be paid in equal installments from state funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the superior courts.   Personnel compensated by the state pursuant to this article shall be entitled to receive, in addition to such other compensation as may be provided by law, reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties in accordance with the rules and regulations established pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 45. Such reimbursement shall be made from state funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the superior courts.   Personnel compensated by the state pursuant to this article are authorized to purchase such supplies and equipment as may be necessary to enable them to carry out their duties and responsibilities. The funds necessary to pay for such supplies and equipment shall come from funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the superior courts.   The governing authority of the county or counties comprising a judicial circuit may supplement the salary or fringe benefits of any state paid personnel appointed pursuant to this article.   The governing authority of any municipality within the judicial circuit may, with the approval of the superior court judge, supplement the salary or fringe benefits of any state paid personnel appointed pursuant to this article.   In lieu of hiring personnel under this article, superior court judges, with the written consent of the governing authority of any county or counties within a judicial circuit, may employ personnel who shall be employees of the county which pays the compensation of the personnel. The county shall be reimbursed, from funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the superior courts, for the compensation paid to the personnel plus any employer contribution paid for the personnel under the act of Congress, approved August 14, 1935, 49 Stat. 620, known as the Social Security Act, as amended, but the payments shall not exceed the maximum amount payable directly to or for the personnel as promulgated by The Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia for state paid personnel. In the event of any vacancy which occurs after July 1, 1997, in a position compensated by a county pursuant to this Code section, the vacancy may be filled as provided in Code Section 15-6-25.    (Ga. L. 1975, p. 1506, § 3; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1402, § 19; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 15; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1335, § 3; Ga. L. 1998, p. 128, § 15; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 15; Ga. L. 2009, p. 745, § 2/SB 97; Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 2-10/HB 642.)   Code Commission notes.   - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1997, "July 1, 1997" was substituted for "the effective date of this Act" at the end of the third sentence of subsection (c).   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-1/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "Personnel, equipment, and facilities that were assigned to the State Personnel Administration as of June 30, 2012, shall be transferred to the Department of Administrative Services on the effective date of this Act." This Act became effective July 1, 2012.   Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-2/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "Appropriations for functions which are transferred by this Act may be transferred as provided in Code Section 45-12-90."   OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL   Full-time nature of judicial secretary job.    - Both O.C.G.A. §§ 15-6-27 and45-10-1 reinforce the understanding that the job of judicial secretary is a full time job to which the employee is expected to give his or her "earnest effort and best thought." 2016 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U16-2.