[Ord. 8-20-1968]
There shall be a municipal court in the Township known as the "Municipal Court of the Township of Bernards in the County of Somerset" which shall have, possess and exercise all of the functions, powers, duties and jurisdiction conferred by the provisions of Chapter 264 of the 1948 Laws of New Jersey, as amended and supplemented, or by any other law. The Municipal Court shall have a seal bearing the impress of the name of the Court.
[Ord. 8-20-1968]
There shall be a Municipal Judge appointed by the Township Committee who shall serve for a term of three years from the date of his appointment.
[Ord. 8-20-1968]
The Municipal Judge shall exercise the functions, powers, duties and jurisdiction of the Municipal Court.
[Ord. 8-20-1968; New; Ord. #1019; Ord. #1962, 7-24-2007, amended]
There shall be a Municipal Court Administrator and Senior Deputy Court Administrator appointed by the Township Committee. The Municipal Administrator shall:
a. 
Carry out the rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to the operation of the Court.
b. 
Interview and speak to prospective complainants; receive complaints and dispense information relating to Court matters.
c. 
Maintain the financial records of the Court.
d. 
Attend Court, take minutes of the trials and enter them in the docket; arrange trial calendars; sign court documents; prepare and issue warrants and commitments.
e. 
Take and prepare bail bonds, making inquiry as to their sufficiency and equity; receive and account for fines and costs.
f. 
Interview persons on informal police court matters to determine if there is a basis for formal action and, if necessary, issue summonses requiring court appearances in this regard; maintain and classify records and files.
g. 
The Senior Deputy shall act under the direction of the Court Administrator in his or her absence.
[Ord. #1289, 12-9-1997, added]
a. 
The Township Committee shall appoint a Municipal Public Defender to represent indigent defendants as set forth in N.J.S.A. 2B:12-28. The Municipal Public Defender shall be an attorney at law of New Jersey in good standing and shall serve for a term of one year from the date of his or her appointment.
b. 
The Municipal Public Defender shall receive compensation on an annual basis as established by the Township Committee.
c. 
The Municipal Public Defender shall represent indigent defendants on the basis of need as determined by the Municipal Judge according to N.J.S.A. 2A:158A-14 and guidelines promulgated by the New Jersey Supreme Court and as provided by N.J.S.A. 2B:12-28 et seq.
d. 
A person applying for representation by a Municipal Public Defender shall pay an application fee not to exceed $200. The amount of the application fee shall be determined by resolution of the Township Committee and may be redetermined annually, if necessary, in an amount which is projected to produce aggregate fees during the Township's budget year that will not exceed the annual cost of providing Municipal Public Defender services, including costs incurred in providing such services. The Municipal Court may waive the application fee in whole or in part in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2B:24-17. The Municipal Court Judge may waive the application fee if he or she determines, in his or her discretion, upon a clear and convincing showing by the applicant, that the application fee represents an unreasonable burden on the person seeking representation. The Municipal Court Judge may permit a person to pay the application fee over a specified period of time, not to exceed four months.