A. Qualifications; Oath Of Office: The municipal judge shall be a bona fide resident of the village and shall be a qualified elector as provided by the laws of the state and shall, before qualifying, take and subscribe an oath or affirmation, in writing, to support the constitutions of the United States of America and the state of New Mexico and to impartially discharge and perform all the duties of such office to the best of his or her ability, which oath of office shall be filed in the office of the village clerk.
B. Election; Term Of Office: A municipal judge shall be elected for a term of four (4) years and shall be elected at the regular village elections. Any qualified person, as provided herein, may have his or her name placed upon an official ballot by filing with the village clerk a notarized declaration of his or her candidacy as provided in the election laws of the state and the election laws of the village. The official ballot shall be provided by the village, and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast by qualified electors at any election for municipal judge shall be declared elected to office. The municipal judge holding office at the effective date hereof shall remain in office as municipal judge until the expiration of his or her present term.
C. Alternate Municipal Judge
1. The mayor of the village, subject to the approval of the village council, may appoint an alternate municipal judge. The alternate municipal judge shall serve as acting municipal judge during the vacation, temporary absence, unavailability or incapacity of the municipal judge. The alternate municipal judge shall serve as temporary judge to exercise all powers of the municipal judge until the return of the municipal judge. Compensation of the alternate municipal judge shall be set by the village council.
D. Monthly Reports; Monies To Clerk: The municipal judge shall make monthly written reports to the village clerk, on forms to be provided by the village, of all monies collected by the municipal court, and such reports shall be filed on or before the tenth day of each month following the month in which said funds were collected, and the funds shall be deposited into the village general fund as they are collected by the municipal court. Further, such reports shall include an itemized statement showing the different amounts so collected, the name of the person, insofar as possible, from whom such money was recovered and the date such payments were made to the court. The report shall further set forth the manner of, terms and disposition of all cases. Pursuant to New Mexico Statutes Annotated section 35-14-9: "Any municipal judge violating any provision relating to making reports or remitting money collected is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars ($200) or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both". (Ord. 1988-03, 6-2-1988)
E. Salary: The salary for the municipal judge will remain the same as that of councilors, whether increased or decreased. (Ord. 1988-03, 6-2-1988; amd. 2003 Code; Ord. 9-27-2922)