12-4114.   Municipal judge, training programs; certification;examinations; continuing education requirement; duties of supreme court.(a) Any person who holds the position of municipal judge inany city in this state on January 1, 1990, and any person who thereafterbecomes a municipal judge in any city in this state who has not beenadmitted to practice law in Kansas, as required byK.S.A. 12-4105, and amendments thereto, shall be permitted to temporarilycommence the duties of office, conditioned that such judge becomescertified as being qualified to hold such office as provided in this section.Thesupreme court shall adopt rules and regulations to provide for a trainingprogram and anexamination to ensure that each such municipal judge possesses the minimumskills and knowledge necessary to carry out the duties of such office. Suchexamination and training shall be administered without charge and suchexamination shall be given at least once each six months at a time andplace designated by the supreme court. If a municipal judge fails tosuccessfully complete such examination within 18 months after the date suchjudge takes office, such judge shall forfeit such judge's office and themunicipal judge position previously held by such judge shall be vacant atthe expiration of such eighteen-month period. A municipal judge who fails tosuccessfully complete any examination may take such examination again atthe next time it is offered prior to the expiration of such eighteen-monthperiod. Any municipal judge who fails to successfully complete theexamination within the prescribed time shall be ineligible to be amunicipal judge, unless such person subsequently meets all thequalifications prescribed by K.S.A. 12-4105, and amendments thereto.

      (b)   Any person who successfully completes the examination administeredunder this section or who meets all of the qualifications prescribed byK.S.A. 12-4105, and amendments thereto, shall becertified by the supreme court as being qualified to hold such office. Inorder to continue to hold such office, such judge must attend at least 10hours of continuing judicial education as approved by the supreme courtin each calendar year.A continuing judicial education program offering at least 10 hours ofcredit shall be provided at least once each year at no expense to eitherthe municipal judge or the municipality.

      (c)   The supreme court shall administer the training, testing andcontinuing judicial education providedfor in this section, which shall be funded by thejudicial branch education fund asprovided for in K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 20-1a11 or may contract with anotherperson or organization for that service.

      History:   L. 1989, ch. 66, § 1;L. 1992, ch. 315, § 5; July 1.