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Oregon Municipal Judges Association
Newsletter
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2008 Fall Conference
OMJA/ OJPA Fall Conference September 24-26, 2008Albany, Oregon/sponsored by OJPA
Municipal Courts
Municipal Courts may be found in 104 cities in the State of Oregon. These Courts were established by city charter, pursuant to the Oregon Constitution, Article VII, Section 1. Since Municipal Courts are formed by varied city charters, their functions, powers, and means of selecting judges are varied, however, they are often the courts where citizens first have exposure to the judicial process. Some Municipal Courts have criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanors, while others are limited in jurisdiction to traffic and ordinance violations.
Judges
Most judges are appointed to serve at the will of the mayor and council, while in other cities the judge is elected. A common theme for all judges, however, is that they are close members of the community and engage in other services, such as performing marriages and swearing-in ceremonies for newly elected government officials. Only Municipal Courts that are courts of record require that the judge be an active member of the Oregon State Bar.OMJA
The Oregon Municipal Judges Association participates in arranging continuing educational training sessions for all Municipal Judges. Oregon Municipal Judges are proud of their contribution to the people of the State of Oregon.