There shall be a Municipal Court which shall have jurisdiction
to hear and determine all cases arising under the Charter or the ordinances
of the City, and to assess punishment as herein provided. The proceedings
of said Court shall be conducted in accordance with the Missouri Rules
of Practice and Procedure in Municipal and Traffic Courts as same
have been promulgated by the Supreme Court of Missouri.
[Ord. No. 1722 § 1, 11-28-1966]
The Municipal Court shall be presided over by a judge elected
for a term of four (4) years. The first judge elected under this Charter
shall serve until the regular municipal election occurring during
April of 1967. He shall be a resident and registered voter of the
City and a licensed member of the bar of the State of Missouri. He
shall receive an annual salary of two thousand four hundred dollars
($2,400.00), payable monthly, unless said compensation is altered
by ordinance. Any change in compensation shall not become effective
during the term of office being served at the time the change is adopted.
The Municipal Court Judge shall at all times designate by order
a person of like qualifications to act during his absence or disability.
The Chief of Police and his subordinates shall serve as Marshal
and Deputy Marshals of the Municipal Court and shall enforce its orders,
judgments and decrees.
There shall be a Clerk of the Municipal Court who shall be appointed
and may be removed by the Municipal Court Judge. His compensation
shall be fixed by ordinance. The Clerk shall have power to administer
oaths and affirmations to witnesses in any cause pending before the
Court. A warrant may be issued under the hand of the Clerk if the
complaint or information is filed by the City Attorney. It shall be
the duty of the Clerk to maintain complete records of each case filed
in the Municipal Court and to collect all fines assessed therein,
account for same and deliver such funds to the Director of Finance
monthly.
The Municipal Court may establish a Traffic Violations Bureau
and may constitute the Municipal Court Clerk as Violations Clerk therefor.
The Court shall by order, which may from time to time be amended,
supplemented or repealed, designate the traffic offenses within the
authority of the Violations Clerk in accordance with the standards
established by the Missouri Rules of Practice and Procedure in Municipal
and Traffic Courts.