A Municipal Court for the Township of Rochelle Park, Bergen County,
New Jersey, is established as of January 1, 1949, pursuant to the provisions
of Chapter 264 of the Laws of 1948, as amended and supplemented.
The name of the Municipal Court shall be the "Municipal Court of the
Township of Rochelle Park, Bergen County, New Jersey."
The Municipal Court shall have a seal which shall bear the impress of
the name of the Court.
There shall be a Judge of the Municipal Court, who shall be appointed
by the governing body of the Township of Rochelle Park and who shall serve
for a term of three years from the date of his appointment and until his successor
is appointed and qualified.
The Judge shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by ordinance and to be paid in the same manner as the salaries of other municipal
officers are paid, and which shall be in lieu of all fees, costs and any other
allowances whatsoever.
The said Municipal Court and the Judge thereof shall have, possess and
exercise all the functions, powers, duties and jurisdiction conferred by the
provisions of Chapter 264 of the Laws of 1948, as amended and supplemented,
or by any other law.
[Amended 2-21-1996 by Ord.
No. 714]
A. There may be an Administrator of the Municipal Court,
who shall be appointed by the governing body of the Township of Rochelle Park
and who shall serve for a term of three years from the date of appointment
and until a successor is appointed and qualified. The Administrator of the
Municipal Court shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by ordinance and to be paid in the same manner as the salaries of other municipal
officers are paid and which shall be in lieu of all fees, costs and any other
allowances whatsoever. They shall perform such functions and duties as shall
be prescribed for them by law, the rules applicable to municipal courts and
by the Judge of the Municipal Court.
B. The Township Committee may appoint a Deputy Administrator
and/or other employees to assist the Administrator, as the Township Committee
deems necessary.
[Amended 5-5-1986 by Ord.
No. 519; 2-21-1996 by Ord.
No. 714]
The Municipal Court shall be held in the Township Hall. The Judge shall
designate days and sessions that Court will be held and the hour at which
the Court will be in session, in coordination with the Administrator of the
Municipal Court and subject to the approval of the Administrative Director
of the Courts.
[Added 4-19-1995 by Ord.
No. 692]
Any person making application for representation by a municipal public
defender shall be required to pay an application fee of $50. The Municipal
Court may waive the required application fee, in whole or in part, if the
Court determines, in its discretion, that the application fee represents an
unreasonable burden on the person seeking representation. The Court shall
consider, but not be limited to, the financial ability of the defendant. Financial
ability shall be recognized to be a variable, depending on the nature, extent
and liquidity of assets and on the disposable net income of the defendant
on hand.
[Added 12-17-1997 by Ord.
No. 762-97]
There is hereby appointed a Public Defender of the Municipal Court,
who shall be appointed by the governing body of the Township of Rochelle Park,
who shall serve on an annual basis at the pleasure of the Township Committee.
The Public Defender shall be compensated by ordinance as established by the
governing body. A person seeking representation by a Public Defender in the
Municipal Court shall pay an application fee of up to $200, with the same
being waived by the Municipal Court Judge in his discretion. All funds collected
pursuant to this section will be placed in a dedicated fund to be used exclusively
to meet the costs incurred in providing a defense.