§ 8-8.2-9. Retirement of judges on reduced pay. (a) Whenever any person first engaged as a judge subsequent to July 2, 1997, has served as a judge of the administrative adjudication court or as a judge of the administrative adjudication court who is reassigned by this chapter to the traffic tribunal for twenty (20) years, or has so served for ten (10) years and has reached the age of sixty five (65) years, the judge may retire from active service and, thereafter, the judge shall receive annually during life a sum equal to three fourths (3/4) of his or her average highest three (3) consecutive years of compensation; provided, however any such person who has served twenty (20) years and has reached the age sixty five (65) or has served fifteen (15) years and has reached the age of seventy (70) years, may retire from active service and, thereafter, the judge shall receive annually during life a sum equal to his or her average highest three (3) consecutive years of compensation. In determining eligibility under this section, any judge who has served within the judiciary or as a hearing officer or administrative law judge, may include such service as if the service had been on the administrative adjudication court and shall be included under the provision of § 36-9-5. Whenever a justice or magistrate shall be granted a leave of absence without pay, such absence shall not be credited towards active service time for the purposes of retirement.

(b) Any judge who shall retire in accordance with the provisions of this section may at his or her own request, and at the direction of the chief justice of the supreme court subject to the retiree's physical and mental competence, be assigned to perform such services as a magistrate in the traffic tribunal as the chief magistrate or chief justice shall prescribe. When so assigned and performing that service, he or she shall have all the powers and authority of a magistrate. A retired judge shall not be counted in the number of magistrates provided by law for the division of traffic adjudication nor shall he or she receive any further emolument other than his or her retirement pay for the performance of the aforesaid services.

History of Section. (P.L. 1999, ch. 218, art. 4, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 73, art. 3, § 8; P.L. 2007, ch. 126, § 2; P.L. 2007, ch. 179, § 2.)