(a) Upon recommendation of the presiding judge of the Pima County Superior Court and subject to the appointment procedures set forth by the presiding judge, the mayor and council may appoint special magistrates, as needed, to assist in the timely adjudication of city court cases. Special magistrates shall serve a two (2) year term of office and may be reappointed to additional two (2) year terms. Any special magistrates already serving as of July 1, 2024, will serve the balance of their existing term, and any subsequent terms will be two (2) years.
(b) The compensation of a special magistrate during the term of appointment is fixed at the rate of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for each morning, afternoon or evening session of court at which the special magistrate sits; provided, however, that such special magistrate shall receive no more compensation than would be paid to a regular magistrate each month.
(c) The powers and duties of a special magistrate shall be the same as those of a regular magistrate and shall extend beyond the period of appointment for the purpose of hearing and determining any proceeding necessary for a final determination of a cause heard by the special magistrate in whole or in part during the period of appointment.
(d) Any such candidate for special magistrate shall possess the qualifications for a magistrate set forth in Tucson Code section 8-2.1(c)(1) through (c)(3).
(e) Subject to the nomination and appointment procedures set forth in section 8.2.1(a), mayor and council shall appoint construction special magistrates possessing a demonstrated experience and familiarity of not less than five (5) years in contract and construction law to hear and decide cases arising under Tucson Code section 11-38. The compensation for such construction special magistrates shall be as set forth in subsection (b) above.
(f) Upon recommendation of the presiding judge of the Pima County Superior Court and subject to the appointment procedures set forth by the presiding judge, the mayor and council may appoint a full-time magistrate pro tempore, as needed, to assist in the timely adjudication of Tucson City Court cases. The full-time magistrate pro tempore shall serve a two (2) year term of office and may be reappointed to an additional two (2) year terms. Any full-time magistrates pro tempore already serving as of July 1, 2024, will serve the balance of their existing term, and any subsequent terms will be two (2) years. Compensation shall be set at eighty (80) percent of the city magistrate's pay with benefits during the term of the appointment.
(g) Any such candidate for full-time magistrate pro tempore shall possess the qualifications for a magistrate set forth in Tucson Code section 8-2.1(c)(1) through (c)(3).
(Ord. No. 7887, § 3, 8-3-92; Ord. No. 8835, § 1, 3-3-97; Ord. No. 8943, § 1, 9-8-97; Ord. No. 9158, § 3, 11-9-98; Ord. No. 9973, § 1, 5-17-04; Ord. No. 10063, § 1, 10-11-04; Ord. No. 10952, § 2, 12-20-11, eff. 1-1-12; Ord. No. 11111, § 1, 9-24-13, eff. 10-1-13; Ord. No. 11626, § 1, 1-20-19; Ord. No. 12110, § 1, 8-7-24)