Job Details

Associate Magistrate - Lake Havasu City Municipal Court

Are you an experienced legal professional ready to uphold justice and interpret the law in a dynamic environment? Lake Havasu City is seeking a highly motivated and qualified individual to serve as our next Associate Magistrate.

In this pivotal role, you will preside over a variety of misdemeanor and civil traffic cases, ensuring the fair and efficient administration of justice within the parameters of Arizona law and City ordinances. This is an exceptional opportunity for an individual with strong legal acumen and a commitment to public service to make a significant impact on our community.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION: You must complete an online application. Resumes in lieu of application will not receive consideration.

Special Note: Requires extreme confidentiality. Requires non-standard schedule to include days, nights, weekends and holidays; to be scheduled no more than 29 hours per week.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

• Courtroom Leadership: Preside over diverse hearings, including initial appearances, arraignments, pre-trial conferences, civil traffic hearings, probation violation hearings, restitution hearings, sentencings, bench trials, and protective order hearings.
• Adjudication & Sentencing: Adjudicate misdemeanors, criminal traffic, civil traffic, and city code violations, making independent judgments on pleas, motions, and sentencing, and imposing lawful sentences commensurate with the offense.
• Legal Review & Research: Review and sign criminal complaints and search warrants; conduct thorough legal research to prepare opinions and interpret complex City, State, and federal laws, ordinances, statutes, and court decisions.
• Case Management: Analyze evidence presented in court, apply existing laws and rules, issue necessary court orders, and manage bond forfeiture and order-to-show cause hearings.
• Administration & Compliance: Assist the City Judge in administering court policies and procedures, ensuring all actions comply with the Rules of Judicial Conduct and all applicable court rules.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in a field related to the area of assignment (e.g., Political Science, Criminal Justice, Law); a Juris Doctor (J.D).
• Experience: Moderate experience in law enforcement, practicing law, or acting in a judicial capacity is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job will be considered.
• Special Qualification: Possession of a valid Driver's License of appropriate class is required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the Arizona Rules of Court, state statutes, City ordinances, Municipal Court procedures, and the Rules of Judicial Conduct (Supreme Court Rule 81).
• Exceptional skill in presiding over courtroom proceedings and conducting comprehensive legal research.
• Ability to make quick, independent judgments while under pressure and working under stressful conditions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex legal matters to diverse audiences.
• Ability to maintain the highest moral character, strict confidentiality, and deal courteously and effectively with the public and all court professionals.

Lake Havasu City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Lake Havasu City is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.

Applicants for employment opportunities should be aware of the Lake Havasu City policies concerning the use of drugs and alcohol. These policies have not been altered by the passage of Proposition 207. The use of recreational marijuana is a violation of the City's Drug Free Workplace Policy. All positions within the City are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test. A positive result for drugs tested under the policy, including recreational marijuana, may be grounds for withdrawal of an offer of employment.

The City reserves the right to consider only the most highly qualified applicants. The succeeding examination processes may be required: training and experience, testing, panel interview, employment eligibility verification (EEV) requirements, personnel evaluation profile (PEP), polygraph test, background investigation, and alcohol/drug screening test. Appointment subject to successful background investigation and City-paid post-employment medical examination after offer of employment has been made.