25 Municipal Court and Judge

Section 25. Municipal Court and Judge.

(1) The council may appoint a municipal judge, as a city officer, who shall hold, within the city at a place and times that the council specifies, court known as the Municipal Court for the City of Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon. The judge must be a member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar. The appointee’s term shall be two years, and shall continue until a successor is appointed and takes office.

(2) Except as this charter or city ordinance prescribes to the contrary, proceedings of the court shall conform to general laws of this state governing justices of the peace and justice courts.

(3) All area within the city and, to the extent provided by state law, area outside the city, is within the territorial jurisdiction of the court.

(4) The municipal court has original jurisdiction over every offense that an ordinance of the city makes punishable. The court may enforce forfeitures and other penalties that such ordinances prescribe.

(5) The municipal judge may:

(a) Render judgments and enforce them by imposing sanctions on persons and property within the court’s territorial jurisdiction,

(b) Order the arrest of anyone accused of an offense against the city,

(d) Issue and compel obedience to subpoenas,

(e) Compel witnesses to appear and testify and jurors to serve in the trial of matters before the court,

(f) Penalize contempt of court,

(g) Issue process necessary to effectuate judgments and orders of the court,

(h) Issue search warrants, and

(i) Perform other judicial and quasi- judicial functions prescribed by ordinance.

(6) The council may appoint, and may authorize the municipal judge to appoint, municipal judges pro-tem for terms of office set by the council or the judge.

(7) Notwithstanding this section, the council may transfer some or all of the functions of the municipal court to an appropriate state court.

(8) The council shall establish, and may adjust, the compensation of the municipal judge.