§ 45-2-38 - City of East Providence – Municipal court.
SECTION 45-2-38
§ 45-2-38 City of East Providence –Municipal court. – (a) The city council of the city of East Providence may establish a municipalcourt and confer upon that court original jurisdiction, not withstanding anyother provisions of the general laws, to hear and determine causes involvingthe violation of any ordinance, including minimum housing ordinances of thecity and any violation of the provisions of chapter 24.3 of this titleentitled, "The Rhode Island Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code"; provided,however, that any defendant found guilty of any offense, excluding violationsof the minimum housing ordinances or chapter 24.3 may, within seven (7) days ofconviction, file an appeal from the conviction to the superior court and beentitled in the latter court to a trial de novo; and provided further, however,that any defendant found guilty of any violation of a minimum housing ordinanceor of chapter 24.3, may within seven (7) days of conviction, file an appealfrom the conviction to the sixth division of the district court and be entitledto 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 dealingwith housing maintenance and occupancy, the city council may also confer uponthe municipal 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 those ordinances and statutes.
(c) The city council of the city of East Providence isauthorized and empowered to appoint a judge and clerk of the municipal court.The city council of the city is authorized and empowered to enact ordinancesgoverning the personnel, operation, and procedure to be followed in the courtand to establish a schedule of fees and costs and to otherwise provide for theoperation and management of the court. 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, andto execute search warrants to the extent the warrants could be executed by ajudge of the district court.