15-332 City officers; removal; power of district court; procedure.

15-332. City officers; removal; power of district court; procedure.The power to remove from office the mayor or any councilman or other officer for good and sufficient cause is hereby conferred upon the district court for the county in which such city is situated, when not otherwise herein provided, and whenever any three councilmen shall make and file with the clerk of said court the proper charges and specifications against the mayor, alleging and showing that he is guilty of malfeasance or misfeasance as such officer, or that he is incompetent or neglects any of his duties as mayor, or that for any other good and sufficient cause stated, he should be removed from office as mayor; or whenever the mayor or any three councilmen shall make and file with the clerk of said court the proper charges and specifications against any councilman or other officer, alleging and showing that he is guilty of malfeasance or misfeasance in office or that he is incompetent or neglects any of his duties, or that from any other good and sufficient cause stated, he should be removed from office, the judge of such court may issue the proper writ, requiring such officer to appear before him on a day named therein, not more than ten days after the service of such writ, together with a copy of such charges and specifications, upon such officer to show cause why he should not be removed from his office. The proceedings in such case shall take precedence over all civil cases, and be conducted according to the rules of such court in such cases made and provided, and such officer may be suspended from the duties of his office during the pendency of such proceedings by order of said court. During the time any officer is suspended the mayor and council, or in case the mayor is suspended, then the council may appoint any competent person to perform the duties of the officer so suspended and provide for his compensation, and require such appointee to execute a good and sufficient bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. SourceLaws 1901, c. 16, § 65, p. 93; R.S.1913, § 4509; C.S.1922, § 3895; C.S.1929, § 15-332; R.S.1943, § 15-332.