Athens City Code

1. (1) Appointment. The city judge designated by the Charter to handle judicial matters within the city shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the city council.
2. (2) Vacancies in office. Vacancies in the office of the city judge arising from resignation, disqualification, or other reason shall be filled in the same manner as prescribed for the appointment of a city judge.
3. (3) Qualifications. The city judge shall be licensed to practice law in the state and shall be a resident of the county. Removal of the judge's domicile from the county shall remove him or her from office and create an immediate vacancy in the office of city judge.
4. (4) Judge pro tem. During the absence of the city judge from his duties or the office of the city judge is vacant, the city council may appoint a city judge pro tem to serve until the city judge returns to his duties or the office of city judge is no longer vacant. The city judge pro tem shall have all the required qualifications and shall have all the powers of the city judge.

The city judge shall have the authority to try persons charged with the violation of this Code and other municipal ordinances and to punish persons convicted of such violations by levying a civil penalty under ACC 1-13.

When the city judge is absent or unavailable to preside over the city court, an acting city judge, designated in accordance with the provisions of art. XXII, § 1, of the Charter, shall preside over the city court.

(Code 1972, § 1-701; Code 1995, § 3-101)