The chief judge of each circuit or any circuit judge designated by him or her may assign an associate judge to hear and determine any matters deemed suitable by the chief judge or designated circuit judge, including the trial of criminal cases in which the defendant is charged with an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
Amended June 26, 1970, effective July 1, 1970; amended effective October 7, 1970, April 1, 1971, July 1, 1971, and May 28, 1975; amended June 6, 2019, eff. July 1, 2019.