The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-03-16

, must be duly qualified and acting
justice of the peace, there is only one
person in all the world who can legally
act as such city justice, and it would
seem a useless formula for the city
to go through the process of electing
him annually; but as the charter SO
provides and in order that there may
be no cloud on the municipal court,
the mere formula is gone through with
at each annual election and city jus
tice elected with the other city officers
1t will not be until we are a city of
the first-class, in which we hope the
present census will place us, and we
can adopt a new city charter for our
selves, that this piece of red tape can
be dispensed with.
Second. AS to jurisdiction. The
municipal court has both civil and
criminal jurisdiction. The charter
provides that municipal court shall
have jurisdiction over all crimes de-
fined by ordinance of the city, and all
actions brought to enforce or recover
any penalty or forfeiture declared or
given by ordinance, and shall have full
power and authority to hear and de-
termine all causes civil or criminal
arising under such ordinances and pro-
nounce Judgment in accordance there
with, provided that in evil actions the
amount in controversy must be less
than 500 and that the action does
civil jurisdiction is not very clearly
defined, and to my knowledge this
court has never been called upon to
exercise it's civil jurisdiction.
Third. The procedure. The proceed
ure in the municipal court is Of the
simplest possible kind. The court has
for the convenience of all concerned
fixed the hour of o'clock p. M, each
day for the trial of causes pending and
ready for trial. When the city marshal
| or any policeman is an eyewitness Of
the commission Of any offense arising
ity to Immediately arrest the person
or persons committing he offense, with
out warrant, and hold him, or them to
appear before the court at its next
session for the hearing Of causes, and
answer the charges preferred. In all
other cases complaint duly subscrib-
ed and sworn to must be filed with
the court, whereupon the city justice
issues a warrant for the arrest of the
person charged with the offense. The
warrant is then placed in the hands
of the city marshal for service. The
place the person named in the warrant
under arrest and hold him to appear
before the court for trial at the ap-
pointed hour. Unless the person ar
rested furnish bond in a reasonable
amount for his appearance he is con-
fined in the city Jail until his case is
called for trial in open court.
When the court convenes for the trial
Of causes the cases of those who are
out under bonds for their appearance
are called in open court, and if the de-
PENDANT fails to appear at the appoint
ed hour his bond is declared and ad-
Judged forfeited to the city. If in the
opinion of the court the forfeited bond
is sufficient punishment, the case is
dismissed and no further action taken.
But il the court believes that the ends
of Justice demand further investiga-
/ ton, a bench warrant is issued and the
defendant is brought before the court
for trial. When cause is brought to
trial. the defendant is arraigned in
open court He is Intercepted as to
his true name and asked to enter a
plea of guilty or not guilty. If the
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