[R.O. 2011 § 135.030; R.O. 2009 § 37.15; CC 1981 §§ 19-3, 19-6; Ord. No. 78-97, 12-20-1978; Ord. No. 79-50, 5-30-1979; Ord. No. 23-023, 3-7-2023]
A. 
Judge — Selection. The Judge of the Municipal Court shall be known as a Municipal Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court and shall be elected to his/her position by the qualified voters of this City for a term as specified in this Chapter.
B. 
Qualifications For Office. The Municipal Judge shall possess the following qualifications before he/she shall take office:
1. 
He/she must be a licensed attorney qualified to practice law within the State.
2. 
He/she must reside within the City.
3. 
He/she must be a resident of the State.
4. 
He/she must be between the ages of twenty-one (21) and seventy-five (75) years.
5. 
He/she may not hold any other office within the City Government.
6. 
The Municipal Judge shall be considered holding a part-time position and as such may accept other employment.
[1]
State Law Reference: Municipal courts, Ch. 479, RSMo.
[R.O. 2011 § 135.040; R.O. 2009 § 37.16; CC 1981 §§ 19-4 — 19-5; Ord. No. 78-97, 12-20-1978; Ord. No. 79-50, 5-30-1979]
A. 
Term Of Office. A person elected to the office of Municipal Judge shall hold his/her office for a period of four (4) years and until his/her successor is duly elected and qualified. Such election under the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of the State shall first be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of April, 1979, and every fourth year thereafter. If for any reason the Municipal Judge vacates his/her office, his/her successor shall complete that term of office, even if the same be for a term less than four (4) years.
B. 
Vacation Of Office. The Municipal Judge shall vacate his/her office under the following circumstances:
1. 
Upon removal from office by the State Commission on the Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges as provided in Missouri Supreme Court Rule 12;
2. 
Upon attaining his/her seventy-fifth (75th) birthday; or
3. 
If he/she should lose his/her license to practice law within the State.
[R.O. 2011 § 135.050; R.O. 2009 § 37.17; CC 1981 § 19-7; Ord. No. 78-97, 12-20-1978; Ord. No. 79-50, 5-30-1979]
A. 
The Municipal Judge shall be and is authorized to:
1. 
Establish a Violations Bureau as provided for in the Missouri Rules of Practice and Procedure in Municipal and Traffic Courts and Section 479.050, RSMo.
2. 
Administer oaths and enforce due obedience to all orders, rules and judgments made by him/her and may fine and imprison for contempt committed before him/her while holding Court in the same manner and to the same extent as a Circuit Judge.
3. 
Commute the term of any sentence, stay execution of any fine or sentence, suspend any fine or sentence and make such other orders as the Municipal Judge deems necessary relative to any matter that may be pending in the Municipal Court.
4. 
Make and adopt such rules of practice and procedure as are necessary to implement and carry out the provisions of this Chapter and to make and adopt such rules of practice and procedure as are necessary to hear and decide matters pending before the Municipal Court and to implement and carry out the provisions of the Missouri Rules of Practice and Procedure in Municipal and Traffic Courts. Any and all rules made or adopted hereunder may be annulled or amended by an ordinance limited to such purpose; provided that such ordinance does not violate or conflict with the provisions of the Missouri Rules of Practice and Procedure in Municipal and Traffic Courts or State Statutes.
5. 
The Municipal Judge of the Municipal Court is authorized to appoint an attorney to represent an indigent defendant in Municipal Court when the Municipal Judge finds that the City Attorney has informed the Municipal Judge that he/she will recommend a jail sentence if the defendant is found guilty and if the defendant is found to be without sufficient funds or property with which to retain an attorney. The appointed attorney shall be entitled to compensation for his/her services in an amount not exceeding the sum of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). Such amount shall be determined by the Municipal Judge upon proof presented by the attorney of his/her services rendered.
6. 
The Municipal Judge shall have such other powers, duties and privileges as are or may be prescribed by the laws of this State, this Code of Ordinances or any other ordinance of the City.
[R.O. 2011 § 135.060; R.O. 2009 § 37.18; CC 1981 § 19-8; Ord. No. 78-97, 12-20-1978; Ord. No. 79-50, 5-30-1979]
The Municipal Judge shall cause to be prepared within the first ten (10) days of every month a report indicating the following: A list of all cases heard and tried before the Court during the preceding month, giving in each case the name of the defendant, the fine imposed, if any, the amount of cost, the names of the defendants committed and in the cases where there was an application for trial de novo, respectively. The same shall be prepared under oath by the Municipal Court Clerk or the Municipal Judge. This report will be filed with the City Clerk who shall thereafter forward the same to the City Council for examination at its first session thereafter. The Municipal Court shall, within ten (10) days after the first of the month, pay to the City Collector the full amount of all fines collected during the preceding month, if they have not previously been paid.
[R.O. 2011 § 135.070; R.O. 2009 § 37.19; CC 1981 § 19-9; Ord. No. 78-97, 12-20-1978; Ord. No. 79-50, 5-30-1979]
The Municipal Judge shall be a conservator of the peace. He/she shall keep a docket in which he/she shall enter every case commenced before him/her and the proceedings therein and he/she shall keep such other records as may be required. Such docket and records shall be records of the Circuit Court of the County. The Municipal Judge shall deliver the docket and records of the Municipal Court and all books and papers pertaining to his/her office to his/her successor in office or to the Presiding Judge of the Circuit.
[R.O. 2011 § 135.080]
If a Municipal Judge be absent, sick or disqualified from acting pursuant to the general administrative authority of the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court over the Municipal Divisions within the circuit contained in Section 478.240, RSMo., a special Municipal Judge may be designated in accordance with the provisions of Section 479.230, RSMo., until such absence or disqualification shall cease.
[R.O. 2011 § 135.085; Ord. No. 15-128, 6-5-2015]
The compensation of the Special Municipal Judge shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00) per hour.