By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER Managing editor
Brewton City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to reinstate the municipal court system.
Effective June 1, 2006, the Municipal Court will be re-established in the city of Brewton. According to documents circulated at the meeting, the city will have jurisdiction to prosecute persons violating laws within its corporate limits and police jurisdiction.
The jurisdiction will also extend to all prosecutions for violations of state misdemeanors committed within the corporate and police jurisdiction.
The Municipal Court will consist of one Municipal Judge who will either be voted in or appointed. The judge will serve for a term of two years and will be eligible for reappointment after the expiration of the term. The judge must also be licensed to practice law in the state of Alabama and must also be registered to vote in the state.
According to Angel, in July 2002 an ordinance was passed to abolish the Municipal Court on Oct. 1, 2003. He said the ordinance was passed because the Court Department felt the city would save nearly $50,000 of the general fund by eliminating the court altogether, and have all of the dockets at the county level.