2604. Vacancies--1. If a vacancy in the membership of the Judicial Council occurs at the conclusion of a General Conference because of a required retirement of a member because of age, such vacancy shall be filled by General Conference election of an ordained minister to fill a clergy vacancy and a layperson to fill a lay vacancy, such election to be held in the manner hereinbefore provided in this section, and the person so elected shall hold office during the unexpired term of the member whom the newly elected person succeeds.
2. If a vacancy in the membership of the council occurs during the interim between sessions of the General Conference, a clergy vacancy shall be filled by the first-elected clergy alternate and a lay vacancy by the first-elected lay alternate. The alternate filling such vacancy shall hold office as a member of the Judicial Council for the unexpired term of the member whom the alternate succeeds. In the event of any vacancy, it shall be the duty of the president and secretary of the council to notify the alternate entitled to fill it.
3. In the event of an absence of one or more members of the council during a session of the Judicial Council, such temporary vacancy among the clergy members may be filled for that session or the remainder thereof by the clergy alternates in order of election who can be present, and such temporary vacancy among the lay members by the lay alternates in order of election who can be present, but inability or failure to fill a vacancy does not affect the validity of any action of the council so long as a quorum is present.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 2604
1996 United Methodist General Conference