Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 115 Part 3.djvu/40

 115 STAT. 2114 PUBLIC LAW 107-114 ~JAN. 8, 2002 Certification. Deadline. has been employed as a lawyer by the United States or District government, or any combination thereof; "(4) has not fewer than 3 years of training or experience in the practice of family law as a lawyer or judicial officer; and "(5)(A) is a bona fide resident of the District of Columbia and has maintained an actual place of abode in the District for at least 90 days immediately prior to appointment, and retains such residency during service as a magistrate judge; or "(B) is a bona fide resident of the areas consisting of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland, Arlington and Fairfax Counties, and the City of Alexandria in Virginia, has maintained an actual place of abode in such area, areas, or the District of Columbia for at least 5 years prior to appointment, and certifies that the individual will become a bona fide resident of the District of Columbia not later than 90 days after appointment. "(c) SERVICE OF CURRENT HEARING COMMISSIONERS.—Those individuals serving as hearing commissioners under section 11- 1732 on the effective date of this section who meet the qualifications described in subsection (b)(4) may request to be appointed as magistrate judges for the Family Court of the Superior Court under such section. "(d) FUNCTIONS OF FAMILY COURT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT MAGISTRATES.—^A magistrate judge, when specifically designated by the chief judge in consultation with the appropriate presiding judge to serve in the Family Court or in the Domestic Violence Unit and subject to the rules of the Superior Court and the right of review under section ll-1732(k), may perform the following functions: "(1) Administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgements. "(2) Subject to the rules of the Superior Court and applicable Federal and District of Columbia law, conduct hearings, make findings and enter interim and final orders or judgments in uncontested or contested proceedings within the jurisdiction of the Family Court and the Domestic Violence Unit of the Superior Court (as described in section 11-1101), excluding jury trials and trials of felony cases, as assigned by the appropriate presiding judge. "(3) Subject to the rules of the Superior Court, enter an order punishing an individual for contempt, except that no individual may be detained pursuant to the authority of this paragraph for longer than 180 days. "(e) LOCATION OF PROCEEDINGS. —To the maximum extent feasible, safe, and practicable, magistrate judges of the Family Court of the Superior Court shall conduct proceedings at locations readily accessible to the parties involved. "(f) TRAINING.— The chief judge, in consultation with the presiding judge of the Family Court of the Superior Court, shall ensure that all magistrate judges of the Family Court receive training to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities, including specialized training in family law and related matters.". (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Section 11-1732(a), District of Columbia Code, is amended by inserting after "the duties enumerated in subsection (j) of this section" the following: "(or,

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