TO: Mayor Collins and Town Council Members
FROM: J. Tyrrell Taber, Presiding Judge
Jeanette Wiesenhofer, Court Director
DATE: January 11, 2018
DEPARTMENT: Municipal Court
Staff Contact Jeanette Wiesenhofer, 480-404-7020
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Consideration of Paradise Valley Municipal Court’s Appointment and Retention of Volunteer Judges Policy
Body
Town Value(s):
☐ Primarily one-acre, residential community
☐ Limited government
☒ Creating a sense of community
☐ Partnerships with existing schools and resorts to enhance recreational opportunities
☐ Improving aesthetics/creating a brand
☐ Preserving natural open space
To provide a more transparent process for the recruitment and retention of the Paradise Valley Municipal Court’s volunteer judges.
Council Goals or Statutory Requirements:
• Governance
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider the Appointment and Retention of Volunteer Judges Policy
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The Paradise Valley Municipal Court developed a policy to outline the selection and retention process of the court’s volunteer judicial officers. The purpose of the policy is to provide transparency to the judicial appointment process; to be used in conjunction with established Town Code; and to assist the Presiding Judge and Town Council in judicial appointments.
The policy proposes the establishment of a Judicial Selection Committee (JSC) similar to what the majority of Maricopa County Courts have implemented to provide a more transparent selection process for recruitment and to allow greater public input and participation in the process.
The proposed JSC will be assembled when a volunteer judicial vacancy or opening becomes available at the Paradise Valley Municipal Court. These individuals are appointed by the Presiding Judge of Paradise Valley Municipal Court, and operate under the guidance and authority of Arizona Code of Judicial Administration (ACJA), § 1-305 Selection of Special Judicial Officers. The ACJA is set by Order of the Arizona Supreme Court.
The JSC will review applications, interview selected applicants and make recommendations for appointment to the Presiding Judge. The Presiding Judge and two appointed judges currently serving the Paradise Valley Municipal Court would then interview applicants recommended by the committee. Following the interviews and background checks, the Presiding Judge will recommend one of the finalists to Council for appointment. The Town Council retains all appointment authority established by Town Code and may accept or reject the Presiding Judge’s recommendation.
The evaluation of appointed judges will remain the same, the Presiding Judge will continue to routinely evaluate judges’ performance and request feedback from professional and public participants in the legal process. Any complaints received concerning a judge shall be considered prior to reappointment.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
There is no budget impact to the Town.
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Appointment and Retention of Volunteer Judges Policy
2. Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-305