The Judicial Ethics Forum (JEF)

In 2013, as a result of state disciplinary proceedings, five judges (or former judges in two cases) were removed from office.  (Two additional removal decisions were pending on appeal at the end of the year.)  In addition, one judge was suspended without pay until the end of his term, and two former judges were barred from serving in judicial office.  (One of those former judges was also censured; one was suspended from the practice of law for one year.)  Two judges were involuntarily retired due to disabilities.  17 judges resigned or retired in lieu of discipline and agreed not to serve in judicial office again pursuant to public agreements with conduct commissions.

80 additional judges (or former judges in 10 cases) received other public sanctions.  (Approximately half of the sanctions were entered pursuant to the judge’s agreement.)

Eleven judges were suspended without pay for from 30 days to one year.  (Two of the suspensions was stayed entirely or in part; one also included a censure; three included reprimands; one included a reprimand and a $1,000 fine; one included a reprimand and order not to run for re-election.)  One judge was ordered to reimburse the court the pay she had received for almost four months while she was suspended with pay pending criminal charges.

Thirteen judges were publicly censured.  40 judges were publicly reprimanded.  (Three of the reprimands also included fines of $500, $1,000, or $2,500.)  11 judges were publicly admonished.  One judge received a public warning.  Two judges received letters of informal adjustment.  One judge was privately reprimanded, but the reprimand was made public with the judge’s consent.

[To compare 2010 and 2009 figures, click State Judicial Discipline 2010 and State Judicial Discipline 2009.]