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Council on Judicial Complaints asks for expanded appropriation as caseloads double
Summary
Taylor Henderson, director of the Council on Judicial Complaints, told the subcommittee the agencys caseload has roughly doubled since 2018 to about 340complaints annually, that the council remains a three-person office and that removal proceedings are expensive; the council is seeking an increase from $300,000 to $425,000 to cover operating costs, a judicial college and salary adjustments.
Taylor Henderson, Director of the Council on Judicial Complaints, told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that complaints against judges have roughly doubled since 2018 and that the agency is seeking a $125,000 increase in appropriation for FY27, raising its legislative supplement from $300,000 to $425,000.
Henderson said the council currently aims to reply to complainants within 90 days when matters do not require extensive investigation and emphasized the cost and complexity of removal proceedings, which can involve multiple judicial officers and months of litigation. "If we have to move forward with removal proceedings against a judge, it's very expensive," Henderson said.
Why it matters: The council investigates alleged judicial misconduct under the code of judicial conduct and state law. Henderson told senators that an increase is needed to cover rising operating expenses, an expanding caseload and a proposed judicial college aimed at preventing misconduct by orienting newly elected or appointed judges before they take the bench.
Details and context: The council described three primary uses for the supplemental funding: general operating expenses driven by higher complaint volume, a judicial college to train new judges before they take the bench, and pay adjustments to align with newly established OMS ranges. Henderson said the council remains a small three-person agency that began receiving some legislative appropriation in FY25 after relying primarily on fee-based revolving funds.
What happened at the hearing: Senators asked about case triage and prioritization; Henderson described a first-in, first-out approach with the flexibility to fast-track problems requiring immediate attention. Committee members also asked about turnover and staffing; Henderson said turnover is effectively zero and that a recent hire of a full-time general counsel reduced reliance on contract attorneys.
Next steps: The subcommittee received the presentation and will consider Hendersons supplemental request as it formulates recommendations for the full appropriations committee.
