§321. Divisions of the districts of the courts of appeal

A. For the purpose of nomination and election only, there shall be separate and distinct divisions within each district of the various courts of appeal.

For the purposes of this Section, the word "district" shall include not only those districts provided for in R.S. 13:312, but also, any combination of those districts with regard to those judgeships to be filled by election at large throughout the said combination, and any court of appeal circuit with regard to those judgeships to be filled by election from the circuit at large.

B. The divisions provided for in Subsection A of this Section shall be designated alphabetically as division "A", division "B", division "C", etc. The judge senior in point of continuous service shall preside over division A, and the other judges of the district shall occupy the other designated divisions according to their respective periods of continuous service. In the event two or more judges in a district shall have served continuously the same length of time the judge senior in age shall occupy the division first in alphabetical order of the divisions in question.

C. A candidate for nomination and election to a judgeship of any such court of appeal, at the time of filing his declaration as a candidate therefor, shall designate only one division of the district of the court for the judgeship for which he is a candidate. All nominating and election officials and other persons provided for by law shall provide for the execution of this Section.

D. The divisions of the districts of the courts of appeal shall be determined on July 31, 1981 in accordance with the provisions of this Section. Thereafter, the establishment of any additional court of appeal judgeship shall automatically operate to create an additional division within the district wherein the additional judgeship is established. The additional divisions shall be given alphabetical designation in the order of their establishment. The successor to any judge in a district shall occupy the same division as his predecessor.

E. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Section to the contrary, those judges of the court of appeal of the first circuit holding office on July 31, 1981 shall continue to occupy their respective divisions in accordance with Act 305 of the 1975 Regular Session of the Legislature. After July 31, 1981 additional divisions shall be created in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

Added by Acts 1975, No. 305, §1, operative Aug. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1981, No. 3, §3, eff. June 2, 1981.