§ 15A-1224. Death or disability of trial judge.
§15A‑1224. Death or disability of trial judge.
(a) If by reason ofsickness or other disability a judge before whom the defendant is being triedis unable to continue presiding over the trial without the necessity of acontinuance, he may in his discretion order a mistrial.
(b) If by reason ofabsence, death, sickness, or other disability, the judge before whom thedefendant is being or has been tried is unable to perform the duties requiredof him before entry of judgment, and has not ordered a mistrial, any otherjudge assigned to the court may perform those duties, but if the other judge issatisfied that he cannot perform those duties because he did not preside at anearlier stage of the proceedings or for any other reason, he must order amistrial. (1977, c. 711, s. 1.)