Full-time associate probate judges — term, retention, qualifications

1. Full-time associate probate judges shall serve terms and shall stand for retention in office within the judicial election districts of their appointment as provided under sections 46.16 through 46.24. 2. A person does not qualify for appointment to the office of full-time associate probate judge unless the person is at the time of appointment licensed to practice law in Iowa and will be able, measured by the person’s age at the time of appointment, to complete the initial term of office prior to reaching age seventy-eight. A nominee to the office of full-time associate probate judge must reside in the judicial election district to which the nominee is nominated or in a contiguous county to the judicial election district to which the nominee is nominated. 3. A full-time associate probate judge must be a resident of the judicial election district or a resident of a county contiguous with the judicial election district in which the office is held before assuming office and during the entire term of office. A full-time associate probate judge shall serve within the judicial district in which appointed, as directed by the chief judge, and is subject to reassignment under section 602.6108. 4. Full-time associate probate judges shall qualify for office as provided in chapter 63 for district judges.