Murphy council designates municipal court 'of record' and reappoints local judges

The Murphy City Council voted Jan. 6 to amend Article 12.02 of the city code and designate the municipal court as a court of record, a change staff said will require full transcripts of proceedings and increase the court’s ability to support law-enforcement investigations.

Jared (city staff) and Presiding Judge Cass Robert Calloway told the council the transition requires clerks and equipment the city already has; the designation would allow the presiding judge to issue certain search warrants and provide greater support to the police CID unit and neighboring cities when requested. The council adopted the ordinance by voice vote.

Following an executive session on personnel, council later approved resolutions to reappoint Presiding Judge Cass Robert Calloway and to reappoint associate municipal judges Ashley McSwain and Dana Huffman and authorized the mayor to execute contracts for services.

Why it matters: Council members and the judge said a court-of-record designation will give local prosecutors, police and the court greater procedural capacity and facilitate mutual aid with nearby jurisdictions. The council approved both the ordinance and the subsequent judicial reappointments without recorded opposition.

What happened next: The ordinance and reappointment resolutions were approved at the Jan. 6 meeting; the council did not attach a separate implementation timetable beyond staff statements that clerks and equipment are already in place.

Quotes: “It gives us more power to do more for the city,” Judge Calloway said of the court-of-record proposal.