A Municipal Court for the Borough of Northvale in the County of Bergen
is hereby established as of the effective date of this chapter, pursuant to
the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2A:8-1 et seq.
The name of the Municipal Court shall be the "Municipal Court of the
Borough of Northvale in the County of Bergen."
The Municipal Court shall have a Seal which shall bear the name of the
Court.
There shall be a Municipal Judge of said Municipal Court, who shall
be nominated and appointed by the Mayor with the consent of Council. Said
Judge shall serve for a term of three years from the date of his appointment
and until his successor is appointed and qualified. In the event that any
vacancy shall occur, it shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment was made, but only for the unexpired portion of the term.
The Municipal Court and the Municipal Judge thereof shall have, possess
and exercise all of the functions, powers, duties and jurisdiction conferred
by law upon said Court and Judge.
There shall be an Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the Municipal
Court who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of Council. Said
Administrator and Deputy Administrator shall serve for a term of one year
from the date of their appointments and until their successors are appointed
and qualified. Said Administrator and Deputy Administrator shall perform the
functions and duties as shall be prescribed for said Administrators by law,
the rules applicable to Municipal Courts and by the Municipal Judge.
The basic duties and responsibilities of the Court Administrators shall
be:
A. To enter in Court records the minutes and proceedings
of the sessions of the Court of the Borough of Northvale.
B. To assist the Judge by performing Court clerical work
and related work as required, including:
(1) Carrying out the rules, regulations, policies and procedures
relating to the operation of the Court.
(2) Interviewing and speaking to prospective complainants;
receiving complaints and dispensing information relating to Court matters.
(3) Maintaining the financial records of the Court.
(4) Attending Court, taking minutes of trials and entering
them in the docket; arranging trial calendars; signing Court documents; and
preparing and issuing warrants and commitments.
(5) Taking and preparing bail bonds; making inquiry as to
their sufficiency and equity; and receiving and accounting for fines and costs.
(6) Interviewing persons on informal Police Court matters
to determine if there is a basis for formal action and, if necessary, issuing
summonses requiring court appearances in this regard; and maintaining and
classifying records and files.
The basic duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Court Administrator
shall be:
A. Under direction from the Court Administrator or Judge
of the borough, to enter in Court records the minutes and proceedings of the
sessions of the Court.
B. To assist the Court Administrator and Judge by performing
Court clerical work and other related work as required.
C. To perform such duties as are required by the Court Administrator
and to function as a backup or fill-in for the Court Administrator.
The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Northvale may, by ordinance
or resolution, provide for and appoint any additional clerical help or other
assistants which the Municipal Court may from time to time require and provide
for the compensation of said clerical help and other assistants.
[Added 5-13-1998 by Ord. No. 727-98]
Those persons applying for representation by the Municipal Public Defender
shall pay an application fee of not more than $200 at the time of presentation
of an application for the Public Defender. The Municipal Court Judge may,
however, in his discretion, waive any required application fee, in whole or
in part, if the Judge determines, in his discretion, that the application
fee represents an unreasonable burden on the person seeking representation,
all in accordance with the Laws of 1997, c. 256.