24-1204 Existence of judicial vacancy; determination.
24-1204. Existence of judicial vacancy; determination.In the event of the death, retirement, resignation, or removal of a district, county, or separate juvenile judge or the failure of a district, county, or separate juvenile judge to be retained in office or upon the request of a majority of the members of the Judicial Resources Commission, the commission shall, after holding a public hearing, determine whether a judicial vacancy exists in the affected district or any other judicial district or whether a new judgeship or change in number of judicial districts or boundaries is appropriate. If the commission determines a vacancy exists in a district or county court district, the commission may also make a recommendation to the Supreme Court of the site for a primary office location. The public hearing may include videoconferencing, or if the judicial workload statistics compiled pursuant to section 24-1007 indicate a need for a number of judges equal to or greater than the number currently authorized by law, the commission may conduct a hearing by telephone conference. If a telephone conference is used, a recording shall be made of the telephone conference and maintained by the commission for at least one year and the telephone conference shall conform to the requirements of subsection (2) of section 84-1411, and the commission shall only determine whether a judicial vacancy exists in the affected district and make no other determinations. SourceLaws 1995, LB 189, § 6; Laws 1997, LB 229, § 4; Laws 1999, LB 47, § 1.