Rule 43.1 - Program Requirements(A) Every state court judge, including senior state court judges, shall attend approved creditable judicial education programs or activities, totaling a minimum of 12 hours per year. At least one hour of the mandated 12 hours per year shall be devoted to the topic of legal or judicial ethics and/or legal or judicial professionalism. If a judge completes more than 12 hours for credit in any calendar year, the excess credit shall be carried over and credited to the education requirements for the next succeeding year only. The Institute of Continuing Judicial Education (ICJE) shall keep a record of the creditable hours for each judge and shall publish those hours on its website (under the judge's bar number or other agreed upon number, rather than his name), so that each judge can track the hours he has received credit for each calendar year. (B) Each new judge must attend the pertinent ICJE in-state program of instruction for new judges. The new judge is required to attend the new judge program at the next available opportunity after the judge's election or appointment, preferably within one year after assuming office. Credit for the new judges' studies shall also apply to the requirement in paragraph (A) above.(C) If a judge is appointed to the bench in the last five months of a calendar year, that judge shall not be required to attend approved creditable judicial education programs or activities for that calendar year, unless the required new judge program is offered during that time period. (D) Additionally, every judge is encouraged to attend national or regional specialty, graduate or advanced programs of judicial and legal education.(E) Qualifying creditable judicial education programs and activities shall include, but are not limited to: (1) Programs sponsored by the ICJE. (2) Programs of continuing legal education accredited by the State Bar of Georgia's Commission on Continuing Lawyer Competency, such as programs sponsored by the Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), however, such programs must be related to matters under state court jurisdiction. (3) Additional programs approved on behalf of the Council of State Court Judges by the Mandatory Continuing Judicial Education (MCJE) Committee. (4) Courses at a Georgia-based law school, whether for credit or not, that qualify an individual for a degree. (5) Service on the Judicial Qualifications Commission or the State Bar Disciplinary Board for legal or judicial ethics or professionalism hours only. (6) Service as a panelist or mock trial judge (three hours per year may be earned).(F) For teaching, the following credits shall be given: (1) Three additional hours for each hour of instructional responsibility as a lecturer when no handout paper is prepared, and six hours for each hour of lecture when a handout paper is required. (2) Two hours for each hour as a panelist or mock trial judge. (3) When the same lecture or other instructional activity is repeated in a single calendar year, additional credit shall be given equivalent to the actual time spent.Amended December 14, 2023, effective 1/18/2024.