¶2602.
Members--The Judicial Council shall be composed of nine (9) members
and should reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of The United
Methodist Church. In the year 2000 and each sixteen (16) years thereafter,
there shall be elected three (3) laypersons and two (2) ordained ministers
other than bishops. In 1992 and each sixteen (16) years thereafter, there shall
be three (3) ordained ministers other than bishops and two (2) laypersons. In
1996 and each eight (8) years thereafter, there shall be elected two (2) ordained
ministers other than bishops and two (2) laypersons. They shall be members of
The United Methodist Church. Elections shall be held at each session of the
General Conference for only the number of members whose terms expire at such
session. A member's term of office shall be eight (8) years; provided,
however, that a member of the council whose seventieth (70) birthday precedes
the first day of the regular session of a General Conference shall be released
at the close of that General Conference from membership or responsibility in
the council, regardless of the date of expiration of office.
Members
of the council shall be nominated and elected in the manner following: At each
quadrennial session of the General Conference, the Council of Bishops shall
nominate by majority vote three (3) times the number of ordained ministers and
laypersons to be elected at such session of the General conference. The number
to be elected shall correspond to the number of members whose terms expire at
the conclusion of such session. Each of the jurisdictions and the central
conferences as a group shall be represented by at least one (1) nominee, but it
shall not be a requirement that each of the jurisdictions or the central
conferences as a group be represented by an elected member. At the same daily
session at which the above nominations are announced, nominations of both
ministers and laypersons may be made from the floor, but at no other time. The
names of all nominess, identified with the conference to which each belongs, and
a biographical sketch that does not exceed one hundred words shall be published
by the Daily Christian Advocate at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to
the time of election, which shall be set by action of the General Conference at
the session at which the nominations are made; and from these nominations the
General Conference shall elect without discussion, by ballot and majority vote,
the necessary number of ministerial and lay members.1 This paragraph shall become
effective immediately upon passage by the General Conference.
[FTN] 1. See Judicial Council Decision
540.