2.14.130 Municipal court judge.
A. Appointment. The city manager of the city shall appoint a municipal court judge pursuant to RCW 3.50.040 and 35A.13.080. The city manager’s appointment of the municipal court judge shall be subject to confirmation by the city council.
B. Term. The municipal court judge shall serve a term of four years. The initial appointment of a judge under this chapter shall expire December 31, 1993. On or before December 1, 1993, the city manager shall make an appointment of a judge for a term expiring December 31, 1997. Appointments for each term thereafter shall be made on or before December 1st of the year next preceding the year in which the judicial term commences.
C. Judicial Qualifications. A person appointed as a municipal judge shall be a citizen of the United States of America and of either King or Snohomish County, state of Washington, and an attorney admitted to practice law before the courts of record of the state of Washington.
D. Additional Judges – Presiding Judge Designation.
1. The city may appoint additional judges, as provided in this section, subject to the provisions of RCW 3.50.055, when the public interest and the administration of justice make such additional judge or judges necessary.
2. Whenever more than one judge is serving by appointment, a presiding judge shall be designated pursuant to Washington state court rules and other applicable Washington state law. The duties of the presiding judge shall include those matters typical of the administration of a municipal court as provided by Washington state law. All other Bothell municipal court judges shall serve subject to the administrative decisions of the presiding judge. This designation shall not affect any other requirements of the judicial position(s) and the conduct of all of the Bothell municipal court judge(s) shall still be subject to the relevant general policies and practices as contained in the city personnel policies, to the extent allowed under applicable federal and state law and the nonjudicial administrative authority of the city manager exercised pursuant to RCW 3.50.080 and 35A.13.080.
E. Judges Pro Tem. The city manager may establish a pool of qualified individuals from which the presiding municipal court judge may designate one or more persons as judges pro tem to serve in the absence or disability of the regular judge of the city municipal court, or subsequent to the filing of an affidavit of prejudice. A pro tem judge’s term of appointment shall be specified in writing, but in any event shall not extend beyond the presiding judge’s termination of employment. The judges pro tem shall be qualified to hold the position of judge of the municipal court as described in this section. The pro tem judges shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the ordinances of the city. The presiding judge shall employ pro tem judges only as needed and in compliance with the budget and budgetary policies established by city and state law.
F. Vacancy. Any vacancy in the municipal court due to death, disability or resignation of a judge shall be filled by the city manager for the remainder of the unexpired term. The appointment shall be subject to the 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 section.
G. Removal. A municipal court judge shall only be removed 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.
H. Oath. Every judge of the municipal court, before entering upon the duties of the office, shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Washington, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of judge of the municipal court of the city of Bothell, according to the best of my ability.” The oath shall be filed in the offices of the King County recorder and the Snohomish County auditor.
I. Bonds. Every municipal court judge shall give such bonds to the state and city for the faithful performance of the judge’s duties as may be required by law or city ordinance.
J. Compensation. The compensation for judges shall be fixed by the ordinances of the city. (Ord. 2033 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1956 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1794 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1610 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1525 § 3, 1993; Ord. 1504 § 1, 1993).