There shall be a Municipal Court in the Township pursuant to
the provisions of state law, to be known as the "Municipal Court of
the Township of Hamilton, Mercer County." The Municipal Court shall
have a seal bearing the impress of the name of the court. The court
shall be held in the Municipal Court, or such other place as the Council
shall designate from time to time, and shall exercise all the functions,
powers, duties and jurisdiction conferred by law upon municipal courts.
There shall be a Presiding Municipal Judge and other Municipal
Judges as may be allowed by law, appointed by the Mayor with the advice
and consent of the Council for a term of three years. The Presiding
Municipal Judge shall be responsible for the administration of the
Court, as well as assignment of cases to Judges.
There shall be an Administrator of the Municipal Court, who
shall be appointed by the Mayor and who shall perform the functions
and duties prescribed for him by law, by the rules applicable to Municipal
Courts and by the Municipal Judge. His duties shall include but not
be limited to:
A.
Carrying out the rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating
to the operation of the court.
B.
Interviewing and speaking to persons wishing to file criminal complaints
or wishing information in this regard, and receiving complaints and
dispensing information relating to court matters.
C.
Maintaining the financial records of the court.
D.
Attending court; recording pleas, judgments and dispositions; arranging
trial calendars; signing court documents; and preparing and issuing
warrants and commitments.
E.
Taking and preparing bail bonds, recognizances and their security
in lieu thereof; making inquiry concerning their sufficiency and equity;
and receiving and accounting for fines and costs.
F.
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; and maintaining and classifying records
and files.
G.
Maintaining, forwarding, receiving and reporting such records, reports
and files as are required by the State Director of Motor Vehicles.
There may be Deputy Administrators of the Municipal Court appointed
by the Mayor, who shall perform the functions assigned by the Municipal
Judge and by the Municipal Court Administrator.
