Judicial misconduct

Judicial misconduct is a term used to describe certain actions of a judge which are unethical or otherwise violate the judge's obligations of impartial conduct. Actions which can be classified as judicial misconduct include: conduct prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the courts; using the judge’s office to obtain special treatment for friends or relatives; accepting bribes, gifts, or other personal favors related to the judicial office; having improper discussions with parties or counsel for one side in a case; treating litigants or attorneys in a demonstrably egregious and hostile manner; violating other specific, mandatory standards of judicial conduct, such as those pertaining to restrictions on outside income and requirements for financial disclosure; and conduct occurring outside the performance of official duties if the conduct might have a prejudicial effect on the administration of the business of the courts among reasonable people. Disability is a temporary or permanent condition rendering judge unable to discharge the duties of the particular judicial office. See Rules for Judicial Conduct. 

A judicial investigative committee is a panel of judges selected to investigate a judicial misconduct complaint against a judge accused of judicial misconduct. Judicial investigative committees are rarely appointed. According to U.S. Court statistics, only 18 of the 1,484 judicial misconduct complaints filed in the United States Courts between September 2004 and September 2007 warranted the formation of judicial investigative committees.