The current terms of the current Associate Municipal Court Judges expire on January 31 2020. City Council APPROVED the reappointment of the current judges for another two-year term which commences on February 1, 2020, and ends on January 31, 2022. Associate Judges are only compensated upon serving in the absence of Judge Escalante. However, training costs will be incurred for each. The following is a list of the current Associate Judges along with their dates of original appointment:
Associate Judges Date of Original Appointment
Kelly Benavides March 10, 2005
Michael Marks February 10, 2005
Andy Helms March 10, 2005
The Associate Judges are not employees of the City. The Associate Judges serve on a contract basis to preside over the municipal court and jail dockets to which they have been assigned by the Municipal Court Judge, to issue warrants and court orders in the absence of the Municipal Court Judge, and to perform other duties required by the Municipal Court Judge for the operation of the Baytown Municipal Court. The appointment of each Associate Municipal Court Judge is subject to his/her execution of a contract with the City and will be for the two-year term, which commences on February 1, 2018, pursuant to Section 24 of the Charter and Chapter 60 of the Code of Ordinances.