Archives of the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability

Judicial Conduct and Disability Rules

A committee of chief circuit judges prepared the Illustrative Rules Governing Complaints of Judicial Misconduct and Disability in 1986, and the Judicial Conference of the United States adopted a revised set of these Rules in 2000. The Illustrative Rules Governing Complaints of Judicial Misconduct and Disability are no longer in effect.

In 2008, the Judicial Conference adopted the Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings, providing mandatory and nationally uniform provisions governing conduct and disability proceedings. The Judicial Conference amended the Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings on September 17, 2015. The Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings, as amended on September 17, 2015, are currently in effect.

Public Hearings

The Judicial Conduct and Disability Committee held a public hearing before the Judicial Conference amended the Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings on September 17, 2015. A transcript of the October 14, 2014, public hearing and related written statements are included below.

• Transcript of Proceedings
• Written Statements
  • Arthur D. Hellman
  • Honorable J. Clifford Wallace
  • Russell R. Wheeler

The Judicial Conduct and Disability Committee held a public hearing before the Judicial Conference adopted the Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings in 2008. A transcript of the September 27, 2007, public hearing and related written statements are included below.

• Transcript of Proceedings
• Written Statements
  • Dr. Richard Cordero, Esq. 
  • Arthur D. Hellman 
  • Francis C. P. Knize 

Breyer Committee Report

In 2004, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist appointed a committee chaired by Justice Stephen Breyer to evaluate implementation of the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act. The committee presented its report, known as the Breyer Committee Report, in September 2006, which included numerous findings and recommendations.