City Judge

City of Casa Grande; Casa Grande (AZ); On-site; USD 121,000 - 164,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Casa Grande seeks an experienced presiding judge and department director for the City Court. This appointed role serves a two-year term aligned with the Mayor’s term.

Responsibilities include presiding over a broad range of hearings, reviewing motions, issuing orders, managing court processes, and supervising staff. Salary is set by the City Council and grows with experience.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct, Arizona Rules of Court, state statutes, city ordinances, and applicable case law, and court procedures and operations.
• Skill in using automated case management systems including data entry reflecting judicial actions, use electronic case files, use electronic calendaring, use electronic communications, such as e-mail and instant messaging.
• Skill presiding over courtroom hearings including jury trials, bench trials, pretrial conferences, sentencing hearings, violation of probation hearings, Orders to Show Cause, status review hearings, and orders of protection and injunction against harassment.
• Skill in conducting legal research.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with coworkers and other professionals.
• Skill in applying justice in a fair and equitable manner.
• Skill in applying legal and common sense in the administration of justice.

Responsibilities

• Presides over hearings including initial appearances, criminal misdemeanors and traffic arraignments, criminal trials, protective order hearings, pretrial conferences, and motion hearings.
• Reviews motions; issues orders to grant or deny motions.
• Conducts ex-parte interviews for protective orders and prepares appropriate orders.
• Reviews search warrants; signs or rejects warrants; remains available for telephonic Search Warrants 24 hours a day.
• Reviews and signs summons, subpoenas, arrest warrants and other court orders.
• Reviews financial disclosure statements; determines indigency according to Federal poverty guidelines.
• Performs legal research.
• Provides proactive performance planning through outlined professional development plans.
• Determines conditions of release, informs defendants of charges, penalties and rights per Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure.
• Keeps a docket of all court actions; sets and transmits bonds, fines, penalties, fees and other assessments to the City Treasurer.
• Exercises original jurisdiction over criminal proceedings within city limits and over civil actions for penalties or forfeitures under city ordinances.
• Prepares the city court’s annual budget and administers it after adoption.
• Exercises concurrent jurisdiction with Precinct 2 Pinal County Justice of the Peace Court over all violations of state law within city limits.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Skills

Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct

Arizona Rules of Court

State statutes

City ordinances

Court procedures and operations

Automated case management systems

Electronic calendaring

Legal research

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Education prescribed by City Council

Job description

GENERAL PURPOSE: Per City Charter, performs a variety of highly complex supervisory, professional, administrative, and technical work as the presiding judicial officer and department director of the city court. This is an appointed position under City Charter which serves a term (2 years) coterminous with that of the Mayor.

NOTE: The incumbent Judge is has indicated she will seek reappointment.

Salary set by Council, current annual compensation is $142,218.44.

PRIMARYDUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Presides over a variety of hearings including initial appearances, criminal misdemeanor and traffic arraignments, criminal jury and non-jury trials, protective order hearings, pretrial conferences, and motion hearings.
• Reviews motions; Issues orders to grant or deny motions.
• Conducts ex-parte interviews for protective orders and prepare appropriate orders.
• Reviews search warrants; sign or reject warrants; remains available for telephonic Search Warrants 24 hours a day.
• Reviews and sign summons, subpoenas, arrest warrants and other court orders.
• Reviews financial disclosure statements; determines indigency in accordance with Federal poverty guidelines.
• Performs legal research.
• Provides pro-active performance planning through outlined professional development plans.
• Determines conditions of release, advises defendants of charges, penalties and rights, in accordance with the Arizona Rules of Criminal procedure.
• Keeps a docket for recording all actions and proceedings of the court; sets and receives bonds, fines, penalties, fees and other assessments as provided by law and transmits same to the City Treasurer.
• Exercises original jurisdiction over all criminal proceedings for violations of any city ordinance and over civil actions for the enforcement of a penalty or forfeiture imposed by any city ordinance or for neglect to perform any duty by ordinance imposed and of every action for the collection of any fine or penalty due from any person to the city required to be paid or which is due and collectible under city ordinance.
• Prepares the city court’s annual budget and is responsible for the administration of the budget after adoption.
• Exercises concurrent jurisdiction with Precinct 2 Pinal County Justice of the Peace Court over all violations of laws of the state committed within the city limits.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Direct supervisory responsibility over all city court staff.

Education and Experience:

Those as prescribed by the City Council.

Special Requirements:

Ability to sit for long periods of time. Complete New Judge Orientation (NJO) within 1 year of appointment. Arizona Committee on Judicial Education and Training (COJET) accreditation is required.

Necessary Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct, Arizona Rules of Court, state statutes, city ordinances, and applicable case law, and court procedures and operations.
• Skill in using automated case management systems including data entry reflecting judicial actions, use electronic case files, use electronic calendaring, use electronic communications, such as e-mail and instant messaging.
• Skill presiding over courtroom hearings including jury trials, bench trials, pretrial conferences, sentencing hearings, violation of probation hearings, Orders to Show Cause, status review hearings, and orders of protection and injunction against harassment.
• Skill in conducting legal research.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with coworkers and other professionals.
• Skill in applying justice in a fair and equitable manner.
• Skill in applying legal and common sense in the administration of justice.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

Standard office environment.

Applications will be screened by the Judicial Selection Committee and recommendations will be made by the committee to the Mayor and City Council. Salary will be set by Mayor and Council and will be dependent upon experience.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as needed.