DEPARTMENT: Office of the City Attorney
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Andrew Segovia
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Municipal Court Advisory Committee
SUMMARY:
This item would approve changes to the composition of the Municipal Court Advisory Committee.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City Council, through Ordinance number 2007-05-31-0595, created the Municipal Court Advisory Committee to function as a City Council liaison to the San Antonio Municipal Court. The Committee provides recommendations to City Council on matters pertaining to Municipal Court including judicial nominations.
Currently, members serve two-year terms of office and can serve up to three 2-year terms.
The current Board consists of the following members:
* 1 voting member from the membership of the San Antonio Bar Association
* 1 voting member who currently serves as a Judge, but not with the San Antonio Municipal Court
* 2 voting members who are residents of the City of San Antonio
* The Mayor of San Antonio (a voting member) and
* The Presiding Judge of the San Antonio Municipal Court (a non-voting member).
Staff is recommending changes to the 2007 ordinance establishing the composition of the Municipal Court Advisory Committee. Once constituted, the new committee can develop policies and evaluation criteria for the appointment of Municipal Court judges, and review Municipal Court practices and policies to advise the City Council on amendments. Committee members shall serve two year terms, coterminous with Council.
Through this item, the Committee would be restructured as follows:
* 2 non-municipal court judges
* 1 lawyer with experience practicing before Municipal Court
* 3 councilmembers
* The Mayor (ex-officio, voting member)
Full-time Municipal Court judge nominations and appointments are to take place in the Spring of 2018.
ISSUE:
Changes to the composition of this committee require City Council action.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could f...
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