Section 602.6404. Qualifications.

  1.  A magistrate shall be a resident of the county of appointment or a resident of a county contiguous to the county of appointment during the magistrate’s term of office. A magistrate shall serve within the judicial district in which appointed, as directed by the chief judge, provided that the chief judge may assign a magistrate to hold court outside of the county of appointment for the orderly administration of justice. A magistrate is subject to reassignment under section 602.6108.

  2.  A person is not qualified for appointment as a magistrate unless the person files a certified application form, to be provided by the supreme court, with the chairperson of the county magistrate appointing commission. A person is not qualified for appointment as a magistrate if at the time of appointment the person has reached age seventy-two.

  3.  A magistrate shall be an attorney licensed to practice law in this state. However, a magistrate not admitted to the practice of law in this state and who is holding office on April 1, 2009, shall be eligible to be reappointed as a magistrate in the same county for a term commencing August 1, 2009, and subsequent successive terms.

83 Acts, ch 186, §7404, 10201

; 87 Acts, ch 115, §76

; 89 Acts, ch 114, §5

; 89 Acts, ch 212, §5

; 96 Acts, ch 1153, §6

; 2009 Acts, ch 179, §145

; 2011 Acts, ch 78, §5