Article VI, Section 10. Judicial districts - district judges

(1) The state shall be divided into judicial districts. Such districts shall be formed of compact territory and be bounded by county lines. The judicial districts as provided by law on the effective date of this amendment shall constitute the judicial districts of the state until changed. The general assembly may by law, whenever two-thirds of the members of each house concur therein, change the boundaries of any district or increase or diminish the number of judicial districts.

(2) In each judicial district there shall be one or more judges of the district court. The full term of office of a district judge shall be six years.

(3) The number of district judges provided by law for each district on the effective date of this amendment shall constitute the number of judges for the district until changed. The general assembly may by law, whenever two-thirds of the members of each house concur therein, increase or diminish the number of district judges, except that the office of a district judge may not be abolished until completion of the term for which he was elected or appointed, but he may be required to serve in a judicial district other than the one for which elected, as long as such district encompasses his county of residence.

(4) Separate divisions of district courts may be established in districts by law, or in the absence of any such law, by rule of court.

(5) Pursuant to the creation of the twenty-third judicial district, no later than November 30, 2024, the governor shall designate district judges from the eighteenth judicial district to serve as district judges in the twenty-third judicial district. No later than January 7, 2025, each district judge designated pursuant to this section shall establish residence in the twenty-third judicial district. Each district judge designated pursuant to this section, at the completion of the last term for which the judge was last elected or appointed, is eligible to seek retention in the twenty-third judicial district. A vacancy in any judicial office in the twenty-third judicial district occurring after January 7, 2025, shall be filled as provided in section 20 (1) of this article VI.