16-18-309 - Training and continuing education. - Tennessee Statutes

16-18-309. Training and continuing education.

(a)  (1)  Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a)(4), each calendar year, the judge of each municipal court must attend at least three (3) hours of training or continuing education courses provided by, through or with approval of the administrative office of the courts (AOC) and must certify attendance to the administrative director. The three (3) hours of training or continuing education required by this subsection (a) shall consist of material specifically designed for municipal court judges and for training the judges concerning the issues, procedures and new developments relevant to the judges. General legal training or continuing legal education shall not be sufficient to satisfy the requirement. If a municipal court judge fails to timely comply with such requirements, then the judge shall be extended a six (6) month grace period in order to achieve compliance; provided, however, that training obtained to satisfy requirements for the preceding calendar year shall not also be used to satisfy requirements for the current calendar year. The failure of the judge to achieve compliance prior to conclusion of the six (6) month grace period shall render all subsequent judgments of the judge null and void and of no effect, until such time as the requirements are met. The training and continuing education courses may be offered by the AOC in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Tennessee municipal judges’ conference held in accordance with § 17-3-301(c).

     (2)  Each municipal judge shall be compensated and reimbursed for attending required training or continuing education in accordance with the travel policy of the municipality.

     (3)  If a municipal court judge attends more than three (3) hours of qualifying training or continuing education in a calendar year, the hours in excess of three (3) hours may be carried over for one (1) calendar year.

     (4)  If the judge of a municipal court is authorized to practice law in the courts of this state, and if the judge satisfies the annual continuing legal education requirements for practicing attorneys and three (3) of the hours completed in satisfying the continuing legal education requirements are training or continuing education courses required by subdivision (a)(1), then the judge shall not be required to complete three (3) additional hours of training or continuing education courses required by subdivision (a)(1). By March 1 following the year for which the requirements are met, the judge shall submit to the administrative office of the courts a copy of the statement of compliance issued by the commission on continuing legal education verifying the number of continuing legal education hours completed for such year.

(b)  (1)  Each calendar year, the clerk of each municipal court must attend at least three (3) hours of training or continuing education courses provided by, through or with approval of the AOC and must certify attendance to the administrative director; provided, however, that such attendance requirements do not apply to any municipal clerk who is required to be certified pursuant to § 6-54-120.

     (2)  Each municipal court clerk shall be compensated and reimbursed for attending required training and continuing education in accordance with the travel policy of the municipality.

[Acts 2004, ch. 914, § 2; 2006, ch. 1004, §§ 3, 4; 2009, ch. 505, §§ 2, 3.]