(A) There shall be one Judge of the Municipal Court and he or she shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Town Board of Trustees; the Mayor may be designated as Judge upon approval of said Town Board.
(B) The Municipal Judge shall be at least 21 years of age, have a high school education (or equivalent), and be of good moral character. The Judge, if he or she is not an attorney, shall be a resident of the town or shall reside within 20 miles of the boundaries of the municipality. A Judge who is a licensed attorney shall either reside in the county or maintain a permanent office in the town. A Judge who is a licensed attorney may engage in the practice of law in other courts, but he or she shall not accept employment that conflicts with his or her duties as a Municipal Judge.
(C) The official term of the Municipal Judge shall be two years, expiring on June 1 in each odd-numbered year. The Municipal Judge, unless sooner removed for proper cause, shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.
(D) The Judge of the Municipal Court shall receive a salary as prescribed by the Town Board of Trustees paid in the same manner as the salaries of other municipal employees.
(E) The Municipal Judge may prescribe rules consistent with the constitution and laws of the state and this code of ordinances for the proper conduct of the business of the Municipal Court.
(F) The Mayor, with the consent of the Town Board, may appoint an Alternate Judge of the Municipal Court possessed of the same qualifications as the Municipal Judge. His or her appointment shall be for the same term and made in the same manner as the Municipal Judge. He or she shall sit as Acting Judge of the Municipal Court if the Municipal Judge is absent from the Court or is unable to act as Municipal Judge in a case.
(G) If, at any time, there is no Municipal Judge or Alternate Judge duly appointed and qualified available to sit as Municipal Judge, the Mayor may appoint some person possessing the qualifications required herein for the Municipal Judge who shall preside as Acting Judge over the Municipal Court in the disposition of pending matters until such time as a Municipal Judge or Alternate Judge shall be available.
(H) An Alternate Judge or an Acting Judge shall be paid, as prescribed by the Town Board of Trustees by ordinance, for each day devoted to the performance of his or her duties except for any month the total payments so calculated shall not exceed the salary of the Municipal Judge in whose stead he or she sits. An Alternate or Acting Judge who sits for an entire month shall receive the amount specified by the Town Board of Trustees as the salary of the Municipal Judge in whose stead he or she sits.
(I) Judges may be removed for cause by majority vote of all the members of the Town Board in accordance with procedures set forth under § 31.04.
(J) A vacancy in the office of Municipal Judge shall occur if the incumbent dies, resigns, ceases to possess the qualifications for the office, or is removed. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of Municipal Judge, the Mayor, with the consent of the Town Board, shall appoint a successor to complete the unexpired term.
(Prior Code, § 1-30)
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see 11 O.S. §§ 12-114, 14-111, 27-104.A, 27-104.B, 27-106, 27-107, 27-113, and 27-114 and 22 O.S. § 22-1181