If there exists within the State of Alabama judges or former judges of a court inferior to the circuit court in any county, municipal judges excluded, who, elected to become a magistrate under Section 4-106(g)(4) of Act No. 1205, S. 400, 1975 Regular Session (Acts of 1975, p. 2384), now appearing as Section 12-17-253, and such former magistrates shall have served a total of 16 years as said magistrates, taking into consideration for purposes of computing said 16 years the time served by said former magistrates as judges of said inferior court or its predecessor inferior court and who have reached or passed the age of 65, they may elect to become a supernumerary magistrate.
Ala. Code § 12-17-260 (1975)