§602-55 Panels; substitute judge. Parties shall be entitled to a hearing before a panel of not less than three intermediate appellate judges. In the event the number of available intermediate appellate judges is insufficient to make up a panel because of vacancy or disqualification, the chief justice of the supreme court may designate circuit judges or retired intermediate appellate judges or retired supreme court justices to temporarily fill such need. A judge serving temporarily shall not be actively engaged in the practice of law. Substitute judges shall be compensated per diem at a rate of pay equivalent to that of associate intermediate appellate judges. [L 1979, c 111, pt of §3; am L 1983, c 244, §1; am L 2006, c 4, §1]