[Amended 4-7-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-05]
There is hereby established in the City of Bridgeton, pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 2B:12-1, as amended and supplemented, a Joint Municipal
Court which shall be entitled the "Bridgeton Joint Municipal Court."
The Joint Municipal Court of the City of Bridgeton shall have
a seal which shall bear the impress of the name of the Court.
The Judge of the Joint Municipal Court shall be a gubernatorial
appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate of the State
of New Jersey pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2B:12-4b. If for any reason the
appointed judge is unable to serve or if a judge is not appointed
as provided in N.J.S.A. 2B:12-4b, an acting judge shall be appointed
by the assignment judge as provided in N.J.S.A. 2B:12-6.
The Joint Municipal Court shall have, process and exercise all
the functions, powers, duties and jurisdiction, both territorial and
subject matter, in such matters as conferred upon the court pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 2B:12-1 et seq., as amended and supplemented, and by any
other acts of the State Legislature.
The salary of the Joint Municipal Court Judge shall be an annual
salary as established by the City of Bridgeton Salary Ordinance.
The Joint Municipal Court Administrator and Deputy Court Administrator
shall be appointed pursuant to New Jersey Court Rules 1:34-2. Any
other necessary clerical and other assistance as may be required for
the Joint Municipal Court shall be provided by the City of Bridgeton.
Compensation for the Joint Municipal Court Administrator, Deputy Court
Administrator and other Court personnel shall be established by the
City Salary Ordinance.
The Joint Municipal Court Prosecutor shall be appointed as set forth under provisions of § 3-18, Department of Law.
A.
Office
established. There shall be an Office of the Public Defender operating
and providing services in accordance with and consistent with P.L.
1997, c. 256 (N.J.S.A. 2B:24-1 et seq.).
B.
Application
fee. An indigent defendant who was charged with an offense of consequence
or an offense which could result in incarceration shall be entitled
to apply to the Joint Municipal Court for representation by the Public
Defender and shall pay a fee to the City in the amount of $200.
C.
Other
court-appointed counsel.
(1)
In the event that the Public Defender is unable to represent an indigent
defendant assigned to him by the Joint Municipal Court of the City
for representation, the Joint Municipal Court shall appoint other
approved counsel to represent such indigent defendant.
(2)
Upon completion of representation of an assigned indigent defendant,
a court-appointed counsel other than the Public Defender shall be
entitled to payment by the City of Bridgeton in the amount not to
exceed $200, which amount shall be substantiated by no less than the
expenditure of two hours of court-approved counsel's time and upon
submission of a voucher in itemized billing detailing expenditures
and time expended.
(3)
In the event that court-approved counsel other than the Public Defender
has expended or bills the City less than $200, and in the event that
an application fee in the amount of $200 has been paid, then the difference
shall be remitted to the indigent defendant by the City.
D.
Dedicated
fund. Funds collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited
in a dedicated fund administered by the Chief Financial Officer of
the City. Such funds shall be used exclusively to meet the cost incurred
in providing the services of a Public Defender including, when required,
expert and lay investigation and testimony.
