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Ballotpedia:State Judge Disciplinary Agencies project

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Project

State Judge Discipline Project

About the project

The purpose of this project is to collect, expand and improve information about state agencies charged with disciplining state court judges. While the state Supreme Courts serve as the administrative body responsible for issuing the discipline of judges, every state has an agency which investigates allegations of misconduct. This project is designed to explain the role of those agencies in the state judiciary.

Steps

  1. Stub pages for 27 state agencies without pages.
  2. Add all pages to project HNT: {{Disciplinary agencies}}
  3. Add existing sprout tag to already created pages (if applicable).
  4. Check existing pages for typos and errors.
  5. Research and add info to pages.
  6. Check off progress report as agencies are completed.

This project will be complete when there are substantial pages for all fifty state agencies.

List of state disciplinary agencies

Things to remember when creating pages

  • Do not add lists of members.
We cannot keep these lists active, even if they are current judges.
If lists exist on the previously created pages, remove them.
Make sure to delete NON-JUDGE member pages that have been created.
If deleting pages, use the reason "legacy error".

Format of pages

Use the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline page as an example.

Each agency pages should have:

  • An infobox specifically created
  • An introduction
  • Composition of the agency
  • Explanation of process from complaint to ruling from Supreme Court
  • Rules of procedure section
  • Court decisions section
  • A history section (complete with table)
  • External links
  • References
  • HNT
  • Appropriate categories

Research questions

Composition of agency

  • Where does the agency get its authority?
  • When was the agency created?
  • Was there a scandal that led to the formation of the agency?
  • What are the official responsibilities of these agencies? (Often found in constitution.)
  • Does it have standing members?
  • How many?
  • What is the term of the executive director?
  • How are individuals chosen to lead investigations?

Investigations

  • What the rules determining an investigation into misconduct allegations?
  • Are investigations confidential?
  • How long do investigations generally last?

Allegations

  • How much evidence is needed from investigation to bring forth allegations?

Discipline

  • What are potential punishments?
  • How many judges have been removed from office?

Project templates

See also

Progress report

Progress report

States:

State agency Sprout Page created Research added Checked for typos and errors Date completed
Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission & Alabama Court of the Judiciary ApprovedA ApprovedA
Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA ApprovedA
Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA ApprovedA
Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission ApprovedA ApprovedA
California Commission on Judicial Performance ApprovedA ApprovedA
Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline ApprovedA Partly
Connecticut Judicial Review Council & Connecticut Council on Probate Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
Delaware Court on the Judiciary ApprovedA
Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission ApprovedA
Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission ApprovedA
Hawaii Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
Idaho Judicial Council ApprovedA
Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board & Illinois Courts Commission ApprovedA
Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications ApprovedA
Iowa Commission on Judicial Qualifications ApprovedA
Kansas Commission on Judicial Qualifications ApprovedA
Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission ApprovedA
Louisiana Judiciary Commission ApprovedA
Maine Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability ApprovedA
Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities ApprovedA
Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission ApprovedA
Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards ApprovedA
Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance ApprovedA
Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline ApprovedA
Montana Judicial Standards Commission ApprovedA
Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications ApprovedA
Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline ApprovedA
New Hampshire Committee on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission ApprovedA
New York Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission ApprovedA
North Dakota Judicial Conduct Commission ApprovedA
Ohio Office of Disciplinary Counsel & Ohio Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline ApprovedA
Oklahoma Council on Judicial Complaints ApprovedA
Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability ApprovedA
Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline & Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board ApprovedA
Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline ApprovedA
South Carolina Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
South Dakota Judicial Qualifications Commission ApprovedA
Tennessee Court of the Judiciary ApprovedA
Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
Utah Judicial Conduct Commission ApprovedA
Vermont Judicial Conduct Board ApprovedA
Virginia Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission ApprovedA
Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA
West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission & West Virginia Judicial Hearing Board ApprovedA
Wisconsin Judicial Commission ApprovedA
Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics ApprovedA

Districts and Territories:

Agency Sprout Page created Research added Checked for typos and errors Date completed
District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure ApprovedA
Virgin Islands Commission on Judicial Conduct ApprovedA

Member numbers analysis

States

State agency Total members Members (Judges) Members (Lawyers) Members (Citizen) Alternates Term length Term limits
Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission 9 4 2 3 0 4 years 0
Alabama Court of the Judiciary 9 4 2 3 5 none specified 0
Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct 9 3 3 3 0 4 years 0
Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct 11 6 2 3 0 6 years 0
Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission 9 3 3 3 9 6 years 2 (full)
California Commission on Judicial Performance 11 3 2 6 0 4 years 2 (or 10 years)
Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline 10 4 2 4 0 4 years 0
Connecticut Judicial Review Council
Connecticut Council on Probate Judicial Conduct
Delaware Court on the Judiciary
Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission
Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission
Hawaii Commission on Judicial Conduct
Idaho Judicial Council
Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board
Illinois Courts Commission
Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Iowa Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Kansas Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission
Louisiana Judiciary Commission
Maine Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability
Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities
Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct
Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission
Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards
Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance
Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline
Montana Judicial Standards Commission
Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline
New Hampshire Committee on Judicial Conduct
New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct
New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission
New York Commission on Judicial Conduct
North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission
North Dakota Judicial Conduct Commission
Ohio Office of Disciplinary Counsel
Ohio Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline
Oklahoma Council on Judicial Complaints
Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability
Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline
Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board 12 3 3 6 0 4 0 (*PA1)
Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline
South Carolina Commission on Judicial Conduct
South Dakota Judicial Qualifications Commission
Tennessee Court of the Judiciary
Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct
Utah Judicial Conduct Commission
Vermont Judicial Conduct Board
Virginia Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission
Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct
West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission
West Virginia Judicial Hearing Board
Wisconsin Judicial Commission
Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics

Notes:

  • PA1: Members of the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania may only serve for four consecutive years, but may reappointed after a lapse of time.

Districts and Territories

Agency Number of members Members (Judges) Members (Lawyers) Members (Citizen) Alternates Term length Term limits
District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure
Virgin Islands Commission on Judicial Conduct

Appointments and laws analysis

States

State agency Date of creation Initial Mandate Appointments Powers
Constitutional Statutory Judicial (Judges) (Lawyers) (Citizen) (Other)
Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission 1973 ApprovedA Supreme Court and Judges' Associations State Bar Governor
Alabama Court of the Judiciary 1973 ApprovedA Supreme Court and Judges' Associations State Bar Governor
Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct 1968 ApprovedA All state court judges and justices State Bar/Governor/Legislature Governor/Legislature
Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct 1970 ApprovedA Supreme Court State Bar Governor (Senate Approval)
Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission 1988 ApprovedA Supreme Court Attorney General (1)
President of the Senate (1)
Speaker of the House of Representatives (1)
Governor
California Commission on Judicial Performance 1960 ApprovedA Supreme Court Governor Governor (2)
Senate Committee on Rules (2)
Speaker of the Assembly (2)
Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline 1966 ApprovedA Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Governor w/Senate approval Governor w/Senate approval
Connecticut Judicial Review Council
Connecticut Council on Probate Judicial Conduct
Delaware Court on the Judiciary
Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission
Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission
Hawaii Commission on Judicial Conduct
Idaho Judicial Council
Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board
Illinois Courts Commission
Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Iowa Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Kansas Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission
Louisiana Judiciary Commission
Maine Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability
Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities
Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct
Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission
Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards
Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance
Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline
Montana Judicial Standards Commission
Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications
Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline
New Hampshire Committee on Judicial Conduct
New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct
New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission
New York Commission on Judicial Conduct
North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission
North Dakota Judicial Conduct Commission
Ohio Office of Disciplinary Counsel
Ohio Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline
Oklahoma Council on Judicial Complaints
Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability
Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline
Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board
Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline
South Carolina Commission on Judicial Conduct
South Dakota Judicial Qualifications Commission
Tennessee Court of the Judiciary
Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct
Utah Judicial Conduct Commission
Vermont Judicial Conduct Board
Virginia Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission
Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct
West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission
West Virginia Judicial Hearing Board
Wisconsin Judicial Commission
Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics

Districts and Territories

State agency Date of creation Mandate Appointments
Constitutional Statutory Judicial (Judges) (Lawyers) (Citizen) (Other)
Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission & Alabama Court of the Judiciary
District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure
Virgin Islands Commission on Judicial Conduct