Commissions On Judicial Performance

Commissions on judicial performance - senior judges - vacancies - surveys. Currently, senior judges are evaluated by the state commission on judicial performance (state commission). The act repeals this provision and makes conforming amendments.

Under current law, for a vacancy on a state or district commission on judicial performance, if the appointing authority does not appoint a replacement within 45 days after the vacancy arises, the governor appoints a replacement member of the commission. The act changes this from the governor to the state commission.

The act provides that surveys of justices and judges are to be distributed primarily through electronic means and directs the state commission to make efforts to locate electronic addresses for persons who use the courts.

For rules of the state commission, the act clarifies that they may provide for a matrix or scorecard to evaluate a judge or justice and repeals the requirement that the rules contain a threshold for deciding whether a judge or justice meets a performance standard.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)