§ 1.04.150. Municipal court—Neighborhood municipal court judge.

(a)

Pursuant to Charter Ordinance No. 159, there is created the neighborhood municipal court consisting of not less than one judge having jurisdiction over cases assigned to the environmental court docket. The judge shall have such jurisdiction, power and authority as is given to municipal court judges by state law and city ordinance.

(b)

The neighborhood municipal court will be assigned cases that comprise the environmental court docket. The neighborhood municipal court, environmental court docket will include cases pertaining to nuisance, environmental, animal, housing, and any other code violations, with the purpose of providing a visible presence in the community and working within neighborhoods. The neighborhood municipal court shall also have jurisdiction over impound hearings pursuant to the provisions of this Code.

(c)

Any municipal court judge duly appointed by the city council or pro tem judge duly appointed by the administrative municipal court judge may serve as the environmental court judge. The environmental court judge may be scheduled to preside over other dockets of the municipal court by the administrative municipal court judge.

(d)

The neighborhood municipal court shall be in session as determined by the administrative municipal court judge. Environmental court dockets shall be held at hours and locations specified by the administrative municipal court judge. The court shall have the authority to schedule other dockets as necessary, pursuant to Charter Ordinance 90 of this Code.

(e)

A complaint charging a defendant with violations of this Code, as provided in subsection (b), may be filed in municipal court and scheduled for the neighborhood environmental court docket. The defendant will be summoned to appear on the environmental court docket and answer to the complaint.

(f)

A defendant may request a hearing before the environmental court judge within ten days of receipt of notice of a payable violation.

(g)

The neighborhood municipal court shall have such support staff as provided by the city manager and with such authority as provided by law and ordinance.

(h)

The neighborhood municipal court shall be subject to the rules and procedures for the municipal court except to the extent such rules and procedures are inconsistent with the provisions of this section.

(Ord. No. 44-866 § 1; Ord. No. 48-706 § 1, 4-13-2010)