NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1975 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 823

HOUSE BILL 127

 

 

AN ACT TO ENCOURAGE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES TO SECURE SPECIAL TRAINING IN ORDER TO QUALIFY AS CERTIFIED TO HEAR JUVENILE CASES.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 7A-147 is amended by adding new subsection (c) to read as follows:

"(c)       The policy of the State is to encourage specialization in juvenile cases by district court judges who are qualified by training and temperament to be effective in relating to youth and in the use of appropriate community resources to meet their needs. The Administrative Office of the Courts is therefore authorized to encourage judges who hear juvenile cases to secure appropriate training whether or not they were elected to a specialized judgeship as provided herein. Such training shall be provided within the funds available to the Administrative Office of the Courts for such training, and judges attending such training shall be reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses at the same rate as is applicable to other State employees.

The Administrative Office of the Courts is authorized to develop a plan whereby a district court judge may be certified as qualified to hear juvenile cases by reason of training, experience and demonstrated ability. Any district court judge who meets such certification requirements shall receive a certificate to this effect from the Administrative Office of the Courts. In districts where there is a district court judge who is certified as qualified to hear juvenile cases as herein provided, the chief district judge shall assign such cases to this judge where practical and feasible."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective on July 1, 1975.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 25th day of June, 1975.