There is hereby created and established an inferior court, to be known and designated as a municipal court entitled "the municipal court of the city of Centralia," which court shall have exclusive original criminal jurisdiction of all violations of city ordinances, and shall have original jurisdiction of all other actions brought to enforce, to recover license penalties or forfeitures declared or given by such city ordinances or by the state statutes. The municipal court shall further have jurisdiction and shall exercise all powers granted by Chapter 299, Laws of 1961 (Chapter 6), of the state of Washington, together with such other powers and jurisdictions as are generally conferred in this state by either common law or by express statutes upon the municipal court.
(Ord. 1113 § 1, 1962)
The judge of the municipal court shall be appointed by the city manager of the city of Centralia with the approval and concurrence of the city council, and such appointment shall be for a term of four years commencing on January 15, 1962. Succeeding appointments shall be made in like manner by the first day of December preceding the end of every such four-year term. The person appointed as municipal judge shall be a citizen of the United States and of the state of Washington, and a resident of Lewis County as well as an attorney duly admitted to practice law before the courts of record of the state of Washington. The position of such municipal judge shall be on a part-time basis. An additional part-time judge may be appointed by the city manager, subject to the approval and with the concurrence of the city council, in the same manner as hereinabove set forth, whenever public interest and the administration of justice require the appointment of such additional judge.
(Ord. 1113 § 2, 1962; Ord. 1523 § 1, 1982; Ord. 2004 § 1, 1998)
The city manager shall, with the approval and concurrence of the city council, appoint judges pro tem who shall act in the absence or disability of the regular judge of the municipal court, which judge pro tem shall have the same qualifications as the judge of the municipal court. The fee for payment of judges pro tem shall be established in the annual budget of the city of Centralia.
(Ord. 1113 § 3, 1962; Ord. 2004 § 2, 1998)
A. 
The salary of the municipal judge shall be established in the annual budget of the city of Centralia. A reduction in the salary of the municipal judge shall be made in such amount paid for the services of any judge pro tem for absences from the court for personal reasons. Absence from the court shall not be deemed for personal reasons if the judge is exercising vacation leave, sick leave or civil leave, or if the judge is absent for any job-related reason.
B. 
In the event a judge pro tem is used due to a conflict of interest, the filing of an affidavit of prejudice or other situation where the presiding judge is required to be recused from the bench, the city shall be responsible for the payment of services for the judge pro tem.
(Ord. 1113 § 4, 1962; Ord. 2004 § 3, 1998)
A. 
Beginning January 1, 1981, there is established a traffic violations bureau in the municipal court of the city of Centralia. The specific cases to be processed by such violations bureau include those offenses described as "traffic infractions" under the laws of the state of Washington which are effective January 1, 1981, for which offenses the alleged violator is allowed to post and forfeit bail.
B. 
Any bail received by such violations bureau on major traffic offenses, nontraffic criminal matters or minor traffic offenses which are to be contested shall be remitted to the Centralia municipal court.
(Ord. 1113 § 5, 1962; Ord. 1485 §§ 1–4, 1980; Ord. 1848 § 5, 1995)
Pleadings, practice and procedure in cases not governed by statutes or rules specifically applicable to municipal courts shall, insofar as applicable, be governed by the statutes and rules now existing including the applicable provisions of Chapter 299, Laws of 1961 of the state of Washington, or as may hereafter be adopted as governing the pleadings, practice and procedures applicable to courts of limited jurisdiction.
(Ord. 1113 § 7, 1962; Ord. 1848 § 6, 1995)
Every person convicted by the municipal court of the city of Centralia of a violation of the provisions of an ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars, or imprisonment for a period of not to exceed one year, or both such fine and imprisonment or shall receive such other punishment as may be prescribed by the state statutes of the state of Washington.
(Ord. 1113 § 8, 1962; Ord. 1848 § 7, 1995)