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Judicial‑discipline panel: complaints and requests for evaluation spike, delays and demeanor top concerns
Summary
The Commission on Judicial Discipline reported a large increase in requests for evaluation (nearly 500 RFEs this year) and said the commission considered 31 matters — with delays and judicial demeanor most commonly identified as meritorious issues; the commission launched a searchable public database and expanded investigations and outreach.
The Commission on Judicial Discipline told the Joint Judiciary Committee its workload and public visibility have risen sharply since Amendment H and recent reforms. Executive and staff witnesses said the commission received nearly 500 Requests for Evaluation (RFEs) in the year — up from roughly 200 RFEs in 2021 — and has substantially increased investigation capacity, including hiring a full‑time investigator and publishing a searchable public database of prior disciplinary actions.
Commission staff said the panel considered 31 matters in 2025 (compared with about 17 historically) and that many meritorious claims involve lengthy delays in issuing orders or a judge’s demeanor on the bench. The commission reported outcomes ranging from dismissal to diversion agreements and a small number of formal proceedings; staff emphasized diversion and educational remedies for first‑time or remedial conduct.
Director Anne Mangiardi said the data show no unusual geographic clustering after population adjustments but confirmed that complaints received directly from litigants tend to skew toward judges of color and women, often reflecting gendered or biased language; she added that meritorious discipline cases align roughly with bench demographics. The commission emphasized outreach and education to reduce future misconduct and said it is working through rulemaking and the adjudicative board under the new constitutional framework.
Members asked about jurisdiction for magistrates, handling municipal judicial complaints and the possibility of expanding oversight; commissioners said any extension of jurisdiction would likely require statutory changes and additional resources.
