HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 1324 - Court Improvement Act of 19842013 2261
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CITY of TUK
RPB j ry WASHINGTON
06/25/84
ORDINANCE NO. L 3� 4
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHING-
TON, ESTABLISHING A MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM
PURSUANT TO THE COURT IMPROVEMENT ACT OF
1984, CHAPTER 258, LAWS OF 1984 AND DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY.
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has enacted
The Court Improvement Act of 1984, effective July 1, 1984,
requiring all police courts and municipal courts organized
under RCW 35.22, 35.23, 35.24, 35.27 and 35A.20 to organize
under the provisions of Chapter 258, Laws of 1984, and,
WHEREAS, due to the effective date of the State leg-
islation an emergency exists which requires that this ordi-
nance become effective immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council in order for the Municipal Court to continue its
operation on an uninterrupted basis and thereby protect the
public health, safety, property and peace, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined to adopt
this ordinance by a vote of a majority plus one of the whole
membership of the Council, now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON,
DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The following provisions of the Tukwila
Municipal Code are hereby repealed:
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Section 2. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.005 to read as follows:
§2.68.005 Court Established. There is hereby
established a municipal court entitled "The Muni-
cipal Court of the City of Tukwila hereinafter
referred to as "municipal court which court shall
have jurisdiction and shall exercise all powers
enumerated herein and in RCW 3.50 as amended by
Chapter 258, Laws of 1984, together with such other
powers and jurisdiction as are generally conferred
upon such court in this State either by common law
or by express statute.
Section 3. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.010 to read as follows:
§2.68.010 Jurisdiction. The municipal court shall
have exclusive original jurisdiction over traffic
infractions arising under City ordinances and ex-
clusive original criminal jurisdiction of all vio-
lations of City ordinances duly adopted by the City
of Tukwila. The municipal court shall have ori-
ginal jurisdiction of all other actions brought to
enforce or recover license penalties or forfeitures
declared or given by such ordinances or by State
statutes. The municipal court is empowered to
forfeit cash bail or bail bonds and issue execution
thereon; and in general to hear and determine all
causes, civil or criminal, including traffic in-
fractions, arising under such ordinances and to
pronounce judgment in accordance therewith.
Section 4. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.020 to read as follows:
§2.68.020 Judges Appointment Qualifications.
A. The municipal judge holding office on July
1, 1984, the effective date of this ordi-
nance, shall continue to hold office until
expiration of his or her term or January 1,
1986, whichever occurs first. The term of a
successor shall commence on January 1, 1986,
and /or January 1 of each fourth year there-
after, pursuant to appointment as provided
below.
B. The municipal judge shall be appointed by
the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the
City Council, for a term of four (4) years.
Appointments shall be made on or before
December 1 of the year next preceding the
year in which the term commences.
C. A person appointed as municipal judge shall
be a citizen of the United States of America
and of the State of Washington; and an at-
torney admitted to practice law before the
courts of record of the State of Washington.
Section 5. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.025 to read as follows:
§2.68.025 Salaries and Costs. The salary of the
municipal court judge shall be fixed by ordinance.
All costs of operating the municipal court; includ-
ing but not limited to salaries of judges and court
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employees, dockets, books of records, forms, fur-
nishings and supplies, shall be paid wholly out of
the funds of the City. The City shall provide a
suitable place for holding court and pay all ex-
penses of maintaining it.
Section 6. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.030 to read as follows:
§2.68.030 Municipal Court Employees. All em-
ployees of the municipal court shall, for all pur-
poses, be deemed employees of the City of Tukwila.
They shall be appointed by and serve at the pleas-
ure of the court; provided, that all applicable
personnel practices and procedures with respect to
hiring and termination are followed. Supervision
of the court employees shall be by the Mayor or
designee.
Section 7. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.040 to read as follows:
§2.68.040 Judges Pro Tem Court Commissioners.
A. The Mayor shall, in writing, appoint judges
pro tem who shall act in the absence or
disability of the regular judge of the muni-
cipal court or subsequent to the filing of
an affidavit of prejudice. The judge pro
tem shall be qualified to hold the position
of judge of the municipal court as provided
herein. The judge pro tem shall receive
such compensation as shall be fixed by ordi-
nance. The term of the appointment shall be
specified in writing but in any event shall
not extend beyond the term of the appointing
Mayor.
B. The municipal court judge may appoint one or
more municipal court commissioners, who
shall hold office during the pleasure of the
municipal court judge. Each municipal court
commissioner shall have.s. ch ower, author-
ity and jurisdiction i ��c�liiI'al matters as
the municipal court judge shall prescribe by
court order.
Section 8. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.045 to read as follows:
§2.68.045 Judicial Vacancy Any vacancy in the
municipal court due to a death, disability, or
resignation of a municipal court judge shall be
filled by the Mayor for the remainder of the unex-
pired term. The appointment shall be subject to
confirmation of the City Council. The appointed
judge shall be qualified to hold the position of
judge of the municipal court as provided in this
chapter.
Section 9. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.050 to read as follows:
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§2.68.050 Municipal Court Hours. The municipal
court shall be open and shall hold such regular and
special sessions as may be prescribed by the muni-
cipal court judge: PROVIDED, That the municipal
court shall not be open on nonjudicial days.
Section 10. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.070 to read as follows:
§2.68.070 Sentences.
A. In all cases of conviction, unless otherwise
provided in chapters 3.30 through 3.74 RCW
as now or hereafter amended, where a jail
sentence is given to the defendant, execu-
tion shall issue accordingly and where the
judgment of the court is that the defendant
pay a fine and costs, the defendant may be
committed to jail until the judgment is paid
in full.
B. A defendant who has been committed shall be
discharged upon the payment for such part of
the fine and costs as remains unpaid after
deducting from the whole amount any previous
payment, and after deducting the amount
allowed for each day of imprisonment, which
amount shall be the same and computed in the
same manner as provided for superior court
cases in RCW 10.82.030 and 10.82.040, as now
or hereafter amended. In addition, all
other proceedings in respect of such fine
and costs shall be the same as in like cases
in the superior court.
C. Every person convicted by the municipal
court of a violation of the criminal provi-
sions of an ordinance for which no punish-
ment is specifically prescribed in the ordi-
nance shall be punished by a fine of not
more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
or imprisonment in the City jail for a per
iod not to exceed one (1) year, or both such
fine and imprisonment.
Section 11. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.075 to read as follows:
§2.68.075 Deferral and Suspension of Sentences.
A. After a conviction, the court may defer
sentencing and place the defendant on pro-
bation and prescribe the conditions thereof,
but in no case shall it extend for more than
two (2) years from the date of conviction.
During the time of the deferral, the court
may, for good cause shown, permit a defend-
ant to withdraw the plea of guilty, permit
the defendant to enter a plea of not guilty,
and dismiss the charges.
B. For a period not to exceed two (2) years
after imposition of sentence, the court
shall have continuing jurisdiction and auth-
ority to suspend the execution of all or any
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part of the sentence upon stated terms, in-
cluding installment payment of fines.
C. Deferral of sentence and suspension of exe-
cution of sentence may be revoked if the
defendant violates or fails to carry out any
of the conditions of the deferral or suspen-
sion. Upon the revocation of the deferral
or suspension, the court shall impose the
sentence previously suspended or any unexe-
cuted portion thereof. In no case shall the
court impose a sentence greater than the
original sentence, with credit given for
time served and money paid on fine and
costs.
D. Any time before entering an order termin-
ating probation, the court may revoke or
modify its order suspending the imposition
or execution of the sentence. If the ends
of justice will be served and when warranted
by the reformation of the probationer, the
court may terminate the period of probation
and discharge the person so held.
Section 12. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.095 to read as follows:
§2.68.095 Complaints. All criminal prosecutions
tor the violation of a City ordinance shall be
conducted in the name of the City and may be upon
the complaint of any person.
Section 13. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.085 to read as follows:
§2.68.085 Pleadings, Practice and Procedure.
Pleadings, practice and procedure in cases not
governed by statutes or rules specifically applic-
able to municipal courts shall, insofar as applic-
able, be governed by the statutes and rules now
existing or hereafter adopted governing pleadings,
practice and procedure applicable to district
courts.
Section 14. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.400 to read as follows:
§2.68.400 Case Transfers. A transfer of a case
from the municipal court to either another munici-
pal judge of the same City or to a judge pro tem-
pore appointed in the manner prescribed by this
chapter shall be allowed in accordance with RCw
3.66.090 in all civil and criminal proceedings.
Section 15. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.006 to read as follows:
§2.68.006 Court Seal. The municipal court shall
have a seal which shall be the vignette of George
Washington, with the words "Seal of The Municipal
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Court of Tukwila, State of Washington," surrounding
the vignette.
Section 16. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.027 to read as follows:
§2.68.027 Removal of Judg. A municipal judge
shall be removed only upon conviction of misconduct
or malfeasance in office, or because of physical or
mental disability rendering the judge incapable of
performing the duties of the office. Any vacancy
in the municipal court due to death, disability or
resignation of the municipal court judge shall be
filled by the Mayor, for the remainder of the un-
expired term. The appointment shall be subject to
confirmation by the City Council. The appointed
judge shall be qualified to hold the position of
judge of the municipal court as provided in this
ordinance and RCW 3.50 as amended by Chapter 258,
Laws of 1984.
Section 17. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.240 to read as follows:
§2.68.240 Civil Jury Trials. In all civil cases,
the plaintiff or defendant may demand a jury, which
shall consist of six (6) citizens of the State who
shall be impaneled and sworn as in cases before
district courts, or the trial may be by a judge of
the municipal court: PROVIDED, That no jury trial
may be held on a proceeding involving a traffic
infraction. A party requesting a jury shall pay to
the court a fee which shall be the same as that for
a jury in district court. If more than one party
requests a jury, only one jury fee shall be col-
lected by the court. The fee shall be apportioned
among the requesting parties. Each juror shall re-
ceive ten dollars ($10.00) for each day in atten-
dance upon the municipal court, and in addition
thereto shall receive mileage at the rate deter-
mined under RCW 43.03.060.
Section 18. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.115 to read as follows:
§2.68.115 Criminal Process. All criminal process
issued by the municipal court shall be in the name
of the State of Washington and run throughout the
State, and be directed to and served by the Chief
of Police, Marshal, or other police officer of any
city or to a Sheriff in the State.
Section 19. There is hereby added to the Tukwila
Municipal Code a new Section 2.68.470 to read as follows:
§2.68.470 Savings. The enactments of this chap
tershall not affect any case, proceeding, appeal or
other matter pending in the Tukwila Municipal Court
or in any way modify any right or liability, civil
or criminal, which may be in existence on the ef-
fective date of this ordinance and RCW 3.50 as
amended by Chapter 258, Laws of 1984.
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Section 20. If any section, sentence, clause or
phrase of this ordinance should be held to be invalid or
unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the valid-
ity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence,
clause or phrase of this ordinance.
Section 21. This ordinance being necessary for the
protection of the public health, safety, property and peace,
shall be in full force and effect immediately upon its adop-
tion by the City Council.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
WASHINGTON, at a regular meeting thereof this day of
„)114i 1984.
APPROVED:
M 4 R, CAR L. VAN DUSEN
ATTEST /AUTHENTICATED:
TY W K, MAXINE ANDERSON
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY:
BY
F14 D W TH THE CITY CLERK: June 28, 1984
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: July 2, 1984
PUBLISHED: July 11, 1984
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 17, 1984
ORDINANCE NO. 1324
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