Art. 422.  Juvenile traffic referee

A.  The judge, or a majority of the judges of a court, may appoint persons to serve as juvenile traffic referees to adjudicate and dispose of traffic violations, when authorized by local rule of court under Article 401.  The adjudication and disposition shall be held in the parish where the juvenile is domiciled with his parent or tutor or the parish in which the child is residing.  If the violation occurred in a different parish, the court in that parish shall transfer the case to the juvenile court in the parish where the child is domiciled or resides for adjudication and disposition.

B.  Any person appointed to serve as a juvenile traffic referee shall have been admitted to the practice of law in this state for at least five years prior to his appointment and shall be domiciled in the district or parish in which the court is located.

C.  Any person who is serving and, since September 6, 1985, has served as a juvenile traffic referee without having had the qualifications set forth in this Article may continue to serve in that capacity and all acts performed by such a person in that capacity from and after September 6, 1985, are hereby ratified, confirmed, and validated.

Acts 1991, No. 235, §4, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 684, §1.