On or after July 30, 1979, any person assuming office for the first time as a justice of the Supreme Court, judge of a court of appeals or a circuit judge, shall receive and be entitled to all retirement benefits prescribed in Title 12, Chapter 18, Articles 1 and 2, except as follows:
(1) The provisions of subdivisions (3) and (5) of both subsections (a) and (b) of Section 12-18-6, to the contrary notwithstanding, except for disability, no such justice or judge shall be eligible to receive judicial service retirement pay prior to attaining 60 years of age.
(2) The retirement pay or benefit of each such justice or judge shall be based and computed pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-18-10, at the percentage rate therein prescribed of his final salary received from the state at the time of retirement. Retired justices and judges coming under this article shall be entitled to receive cost-of-living increases in their retirement pay equal to any cost-of-living increment received by retired state employees from the State Employees Retirement System, as provided by the Legislature from time to time.
(3) The provisions of Section 12-18-8, to the contrary notwithstanding, no credit for prior creditable service shall be claimed by such justice or judge for inclusion toward judicial retirement except prior creditable service as a judge.
(4) In order for any person, electing to retire under the provisions of this article, to receive benefits authorized for the judicial office in which he is serving at the time of retirement, he must have served not less than one full term, or a time equal to a full term, in such office; if such person has served for a lesser period in such office, he shall only be entitled to retire in, and receive the benefits for, any previous judicial office in which he shall have served for not less than one full term, or a time equal to a full term, such person otherwise having attained the number of years of creditable service and age for such retirement, including all service in the office held at the time of retirement.