Courts

SPMGR 29 Presiding Judge

(f) Duties and Authority of Presiding Judge.

• (f) (1-4) Reserved by state rule
• (f)(5)(a) Personnel Assigned to Perform Court Functions
  • (i) Court Commissioners - Selection. Upon a vacancy for Court Commissioner, the Court may advertise the vacancy and accept applications.
    The majority of the Judges shall decide which candidates to interview and conduct interviews. Any Judge of this Court may attend, participate, and vote during the selection process. The selection shall be by majority vote of the Judges present at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting or a meeting called by the Presiding Judge for this purpose.
  • (ii) Court Commissioners - Termination. A Court Commissioner shall serve at the pleasure of the Judges and any decision to terminate shall be by a majority vote of the Judges at a Judges' meeting.
• (f)(5)(b) Reserved by state rule
• (f)(5)(c) Court Administrator
  • (i) Selection. Upon a vacancy, the Judges shall take the necessary steps to obtain qualified applicants. The Judges shall screen the written applications and conduct interviews. Any Judge may attend, participate, and vote. Selection of the Court Administrator shall be by majority vote of the Judges present at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting.
  • (ii) Termination. The Court Administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the Judges and shall be terminated by a majority vote of the Judges at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting.
  • (iii) Duties of Court Administrator. The Court Administrator shall assist the Presiding Judge in his or her administrative responsibilities. Subject to the general supervision of the Presiding Judge, the Administrator's duties shall include, but not be limited to, those duties set forth in the job description for the Court Administrator.
• (f)(5)(d) Chief Probation Officer
  • (i) Selection. Upon a vacancy, the Judges shall take the necessary step to obtain qualified applicants. The Judges shall screen the written applications and conduct interviews. Any Judge may attend, participate, and vote. Selection of the Chief Probation Officer shall be by majority vote of the Judges present at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting.
  • (ii) Termination. The Chief Probation Officer shall serve at the pleasure of the Judges and shall be terminated by a majority vote of the Judges at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting.
  • (iii) Duties of Chief Probation Officer. The Chief Probation Officer is subject to the general supervision of the Presiding Judge and the direct supervision of the Court Administrator. The Chief Probation Officer's duties shall include, but not be limited to, those duties set forth in the job description for the Chief Probation Officer.
• (f)(5)(e) Judicial Administrative Assistant
  • (i) Selection. Upon a vacancy, the Judges shall take the necessary step to obtain qualified applicants. The Judges shall screen the written applications and conduct interviews. Any Judge may attend, participate, and vote. Selection of the Judicial Administrative Assistant shall be by majority vote of the Judges present at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting.
  • (ii) Termination. The Judicial Administrative Assistant shall serve at the pleasure of the Judges and shall be terminated by a majority vote of the Judges at a regularly scheduled Judges' meeting.
  • (iii) Duties of Judicial Administrative Assistant. The Judicial Administrative is subject to the general supervision of the Presiding Judge and under the direct supervision of the Presiding Judge. The Judicial Administrative Assistant's duties shall include, but not be limited to, those duties set forth in the job description for the Judicial Administrative Assistant.
• (f)(6-13) Reserved by state rule
• (f)(14) Paralegals who are currently registered with the Spokane County Bar Association for the purpose of presentation of such orders may personally present agreed, ex-parte and uncontested orders signed by counsel, based solely upon the documents presented and the record in the file. Said privilege may be revoked or limited by the Court for noncompliance with this rule, or other misconduct, regardless of whether the Paralegal is permitted to present orders before other courts.
• (h) Reserved by state rule
  • (1) The Presiding Judge shall maintain a record of absences of each judicial officer. All Judicial Officers must advise the Presiding Judge if they will not be on campus for the day and whether the reason is work-related or not. This information will be made available to the public by request at the end of each calendar year, however, information about an on-going leave will not be made available until after the leave has ended.

(Adopted Jan. 2, 2009; amended effective Sept. 1, 2011; amended effective Sept. 1, 2019; amended effective Sept. 1, 2021; amended effective Sept. 1, 2023)