A majority of complaints about judges that come to the Administrative Office of the Courts originate with municipal courts. Justice Drowota, everyone knows city courts exist to separate drivers from their money, and a part-time judge retained on the basis of performance is likely to find that generated revenue is the main criterion by which retention is determined, even when the charter sets a term of office. That means the cities have subverted the judicial function with which they have been entrusted by the legislature to a form of debt collection. If the funds disappeared, few of the cities would consider the court an important civic service. Justice Drowota, when courts operate like the one in Cookeville, they make the entire concept of the judiciary a laughingstock.
Few people know that a municipal judge is just a part time guy in a robe.
Municipal judges, who make salaries from administrating this substandard system, argue that the state offers a trial de novo if a defendant is not satisfied with the result in a cash-register court. But the United States Supreme Court said that if a trial is not before a disinterested and impartial judicial officer, the offer of a trial de novo down the road is not a persuasive response. This 'procedural safeguard' does not guarantee a fair trial in the mayor's court. . . Mr. Summers was an exceptional man to refuse to manipulate fines. He was fired.