255. (Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 610.)

The court may appoint as subordinate judicial officers one or more persons of suitable experience, who may be a probation officer or assistant or deputy probation officers, to serve as juvenile hearing officers on a full-time or part-time basis. A hearing officer shall serve at the pleasure of the court, and unless the court makes an order terminating the appointment of a hearing officer, the hearing officer shall continue to serve until the appointment of his or her successor. The court shall determine whether any compensation shall be paid to hearing officers, not otherwise employed by a public agency or holding another public office, and shall establish the amounts and rates thereof. An appointment of a probation officer, assistant probation officer, or deputy probation officer as a juvenile hearing officer may be made only with the consent of the probation officer. A juvenile court shall be known as the Informal Juvenile and Traffic Court when a hearing officer appointed pursuant to this section hears a case specified in Section 256.