(1) Municipal Judge; Qualifications; Appointment; Judges Pro Tem. The municipal judge shall be the judicial officer of the city. The judge shall be admitted to practice law by the Oregon Supreme Court. The judge shall be appointed by the mayor, with the approval of the council for a term of three years, subject to being removed by a two-thirds vote of the whole council for cause as defined by ordinance in effect prior to the occurrence of the grounds for cause. The judge shall hold within the city a court to be known as the Municipal Court for the city of Medford, Oregon. The city council may provide for the appointment of municipal judges pro tem to serve in the absence or inability of the municipal judge and for compensation thereof, and may appoint such judges pro tem to thus serve, but any such appointment shall be subject to the approval of the municipal judge.

(2) Jurisdiction and Limitations. The court shall be open for the transaction of judicial business at times specified by ordinance. All area within the city and, to the extent provided by state law, area outside the city shall be within the territorial jurisdiction of the court. The municipal judge shall exercise original and exclusive jurisdiction of all offenses defined and made punishable by ordinances of the city and of all actions brought to recover or enforce forfeitures or penalties defined or authorized by ordinances of the city. The judge shall have authority to issue process for arrest of any person accused of an offense against the ordinances of the city, to commit any such person to jail or admit him to bail, to provide for subpoenas, to compel witnesses to appear and testify in court on a hearing or trial of any cause before him, to compel obedience to such subpoenas, to issue any process necessary to carry into effect the judgments of the court and to punish witnesses and others for contempt of court.

When not governed by ordinances or this charter, all proceedings in the municipal court for the violation of a city ordinance shall be governed by general laws applicable to state courts. The city manager shall execute, or cause to be executed, all lawful orders of the municipal judge or court or of any court which succeeds to its jurisdiction. Except as otherwise provided for in a special, or commitment order, an accused shall be released from custody in accordance with the terms of a general order of the municipal court. The laws of arrest, warrants, searches, seizures, rights to bail, counsel, and due process for violation of an ordinance shall be the same as those applying within the state of Oregon to misdemeanors.

(3) Transfer of Jurisdiction. If by general statute, or by constitutional amendment, the state of Oregon makes available a state court for the enforcement of all or a part of the ordinances of the city of Medford, then notwithstanding the above provisions, the city council may in its discretion, by ordinance, transfer all or any part of the jurisdiction of the municipal court to such state court on such terms as the city council may deem to be in the best interests of the citizens of Medford, but any such ordinance may be subject to referendum on petition of legal voters or by resolution of the city council as provided by law.