§ 45-2-25 - City of Woonsocket – Municipal court.
SECTION 45-2-25
§ 45-2-25 City of Woonsocket –Municipal court. – (a) The city council of the city of Woonsocket may establish a municipal courtand confer upon the court original jurisdiction, notwithstanding any otherprovisions of the general laws, to hear and determine causes involving theviolation of any ordinance, including minimum housing ordinances, of the cityand any violation of the provisions of chapter 24.3 of this title, entitled theRhode Island Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code; provided, however, thatany defendant found guilty of any offense, excluding violations of the minimumhousing ordinances or chapter 24.3, may, within seven (7) days of theconviction, 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 housingordinance, or of chapter 24.3, may, within seven (7) days of the conviction,file an appeal from the conviction to the seventh division of the districtcourt and be entitled to 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 dealing withhousing maintenance and occupancy, the city council may also confer upon themunicipal 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 the ordinances and statutes.
(c) The city council of the city of Woonsocket is authorizedand empowered to appoint a judge of the municipal court. The city council ofthe city is authorized and empowered to enact ordinances governing thepersonnel, operation, and procedure to be followed in the court and toestablish 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 search warrants could be executed by ajudge of the district court.
(d) The municipal court also has original jurisdiction,notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws, to hear and determineviolations of §§ 11-9-13 and 11-9-13.1 pertaining to the sale ordelivery of tobacco products to persons under the age of eighteen (18);provided, however, that any defendant found guilty of any offense may, withinseven (7) days of the conviction, file an appeal from the conviction to thedistrict court and be entitled in the latter court to a trial de novo inaccordance with § 8-8-3.