S91 - Amend Rule 4/Acceptance of Service - Part III. (SL 2023-97)

Overview: Part III of S.L. 2023-97 makes the following changes to courtroom procedure:

• Removes the requirement of presiding judge approval for a district court to have jurisdiction to accept a plea for a Class H or I felony.
• Authorizes the chief district court judge to schedule and assign sessions of court for the acceptance of felony pleas and requires the district attorney to calendar those pleas for these sessions.
• Clarifies that when the superior court holds a probation revocation hearing for an offense where the plea was taken in district court, the superior court shall proceed without remanding the matter back to district court except by agreement of the chief district court judge and the resident superior court judge that it is in the best interest of justice.

This Part became effective December 1, 2023. The changes to the acceptance of pleas in district court apply to pleas accepted on or after that date. The changes to probation revocation hearing procedure apply to revocation hearings held on or after that date.