ARTICLE 4, SECTION 7
SECTION 7 EXCHANGE OF JUDGES - JUDGE PRO TEMPORE. The judge
of any superior court may hold a superior court in any county at
the request of the judge of the superior court thereof, and upon
the request of the governor it shall be his or her duty to do so.
A case in the superior court may be tried by a judge pro tempore
either with the agreement of the parties if the judge pro tempore
is a member of the bar, is agreed upon in writing by the parties
litigant or their attorneys of record, and is approved by the
court and sworn to try the case; or without the agreement of the
parties if the judge pro tempore is a sitting elected judge and
is acting as a judge pro tempore pursuant to supreme court rule.
The supreme court rule must require assignments of judges pro
tempore based on the judges' experience and must provide for the
right, exercisable once during a case, to a change of judge pro
tempore. Such right shall be in addition to any other right
provided by law. However, if a previously elected judge of the
superior court retires leaving a pending case in which the judge
has made discretionary rulings, the judge is entitled to hear the
pending case as a judge pro tempore without any written
agreement. [AMENDMENT 94, 2001 Engrossed Senate Joint Resolution
No. 8208. Approved November 6, 2001.]