Section 12-18-8 Transfer into Judicial Retirement Fund of Contributions Made to Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama and Receipt of Credit for Prior Service Under Employees’ Retirement System, Etc., Upon Payment of Contribution for Prior Years of Service; Refund of Contributions to Judicial Retirement Fund Upon Termination of Service Prior to Eligibility for Retirement Benefits Under Article.

(a) Any justice or judge holding office as a member of the Supreme Court, a court of appeals or of a circuit court on September 18, 1973, who has paid contributions into the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, shall be entitled to have such contributions transferred from the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama into the Judicial Retirement Fund and to receive credit for the time of service he had acquired under the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama as time of service in the judicial position which he holds on September 18, 1973, regardless of whether or not such time of service was continuous, provided such time of service acquired under the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama was in a legal or judicial position, and further provided such justice or judge requests such transfer within three years from September 18, 1973. Upon request of such justice or judge, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama shall transfer such contributions and accrued interest thereon into the Judicial Retirement Fund and shall certify to the Judicial Retirement Fund and to such justice or judge the time of service that such justice or judge has accumulated in the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, which said time of service shall count toward any judicial retirement benefit. Any justice or judge of the Supreme Court, a court of appeals or of a circuit court holding office on September 18, 1973, who has had time of service in a legal or judicial position in which he could have become a member of the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama, if he had elected to do so but did not so elect, or who has time of service in the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama in a legal or judicial position, but has since withdrawn the contributions to such system or who has time of service in the Legislature of Alabama, provided that credit may be claimed for a maximum of two and one-half years’ service in the Legislature, shall be entitled to have such time of service, regardless of whether or not such time of service was continuous, treated as time of service in the judicial position he holds on September 18, 1973; provided, that such justice or judge shall pay into the Judicial Retirement Fund of Alabama a sum equal to four and one-half percent of his then annual salary for each year of such service that he elects to count toward judicial retirement; provided further, that such election and payment shall be made to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama within three years from September 18, 1973. Should the records of the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama fail to reflect the position held thereunder, affidavits from disinterested persons that such position was a legal or judicial position shall suffice as proof thereof. (b) Should the service of a justice or a judge of the Supreme Court, a court of appeals or a circuit court be terminated prior to the time he is entitled to receive retirement benefits under this article, then such justice or judge shall have the right to elect to withdraw from the Judicial Retirement Fund and to have refunded to him his contributions to the Judicial Retirement Fund plus accrued interest thereon; provided, that should such a justice or judge not elect to withdraw from the Judicial Retirement Fund he shall be entitled to receive a certificate from the Secretary-Treasurer of the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama showing the time of service he has accumulated toward retirement. If he has sufficient time of service for any retirement benefit provided for in this article, upon reaching a retirement age or upon becoming permanently disabled as defined in this article or upon his death, such certificate may be filed as proof of time of service with the then Secretary-Treasurer of the Judicial Retirement Fund in lieu of the requirements of Section 12-18-7; provided, that such justice or judge shall indicate to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court his desire as to inactive or active retired status.