King County operates its justice court system pursuant to Chapters 3.30 through 3.74 RCW, with the county divided into various justice court districts, administered by fully qualified justice court judges. The city is presently situated within the northeast district justice court district, and commencing January 1, 1979, will be situated within the Issaquah District justice court district.
(Ord. 460 § 1, 1978)
The city believes that utilization of the district justice court system and its judges will:
A. 
Provide professional services to its citizens, officials, and the public;
B. 
Lend uniformity of disposition and sentencing throughout the district; and,
C. 
Bring about the economic advantage to the city in the form of lower cost of operation.
(Ord. 460 § 1, 1978)
The municipal court of the city shall be a department of the district justice court in the justice court district in which it is situated (currently Northeast District justice court, on and after January 1, 1979, Issaquah District justice court) pursuant to Chapter 3.46 RCW.
(Ord. 460 § 2, 1978)
The judge of the municipal court shall be the presiding judge of the district justice court, with such judge empowered to assign one or more judges, pro tem judges, commissioner, or magistrates or preside over the municipal department, all of which will be on a part-time basis; as such time may be required for the orderly administration of justice.
(Ord. 460 § 3, 1978)
The regularly employed administrative personnel of the district court system assigned to such duties by the regularly administrative procedures of the justice court system shall be the administrative personnel of the municipal department.
(Ord. 460 § 4, 1978)
Unless otherwise provided, the facilities for the court shall be the courtrooms, offices, facilities and supplies provided by the district justice court.
(Ord. 460 § 5, 1978)
Upon determination of the presiding judge of the necessity or feasibility thereof, the municipal department is authorized to hold night sessions.
(Ord. 460 § 6, 1978)
The judge or judges appointed as specified in SMC § 2.44.040 shall have all the powers and duties provided by law for police judges, municipal judges, or judges of inferior courts, including, but not limited to, the power to accept complaints and citations, issue warrants and/or summonses, arraign accused persons, accept pleas, set bail or personal recognizance, determine guilt or innocence, pronounce judgment and sentence and enforce the same, assess cost, accept promises to pay, impose probation, defer findings or judgment, impose conditions, appoint clerks or deputy clerks of the court, provide for the operation of a violations bureau, supervise the operations of the municipal department, and make and enforce such rules of court as are deemed desirable.
(Ord. 460 § 7, 1978)
No annual salary shall be paid to the district court or judge thereof. As provided in RCW 3.62.070, the city shall pay to the district court as compensation for all services and cost, the sum of $4.00 for each criminal action filed by the city for an ordinance violation; except that if a violation bureau is established pursuant to RCW 3.30.090 or such other applicable statute, the exceptions of such statute shall apply.
(Ord. 460 § 8, 1978)