§ 45-2-19 - City of Warwick – Municipal court.
SECTION 45-2-19
§ 45-2-19 City of Warwick – Municipalcourt. – (a) The city council of the city of Warwick may establish a municipal court andconfer upon the court original jurisdiction, notwithstanding any otherprovisions of the general laws, to hear and determine causes involving theviolation of any ordinance, including minimum housing ordinances, of the cityand any violation of the provisions of chapter 24.3 of this title, entitled theRhode Island Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code; provided, that anydefendant found guilty of any offense, excluding violations of the minimumhousing ordinances or chapter 24.3 within the jurisdiction of the court, may,within five (5) days of the conviction, file an appeal from the conviction tothe superior court and be entitled in the latter court to a trial de novo; andprovided further, that any defendant found guilty of any violation of a minimumhousing ordinance, or of chapter 24.3, may, within five (5) days of theconviction, file an appeal from the conviction to the third division of thedistrict court and be entitled to a trial de novo in accordance with§§ 8-8-3(a)(4) and 8-8-3.2.
(b) With respect to violations of either municipal ordinancesdealing with minimum housing or chapter 24.3 et seq. of this title dealing withhousing maintenance and occupancy, the city council may also confer upon themunicipal court, in furtherance of the court's jurisdiction, the power toproceed according to equity:
(1) To restrain, prevent, enjoin, abate, or correct aviolation;
(2) To order the repair, vacation, or demolition of anydwelling existing in violation; or
(3) To otherwise compel compliance with all of the provisionsof the ordinances and statutes.
(c) The mayor of the city is authorized and empowered toappoint a judge of the municipal court with the advice and consent of the cityor town council. The city council is authorized and empowered to enactordinances governing the operation and procedure to be followed in the courtand to establish a schedule of fees and costs. The municipal court may impose asentence not to exceed thirty (30) days in jail and impose a fine not in excessof five hundred dollars ($500) or both. The court is empowered to administeroaths, compel the attendance of witnesses, and punish persons for contempt.