Judicial Conduct, Commission on

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Agency Web Site: http://www.cjc.ny.gov/Link to External Website

Mission

The State Constitution established the Commission on Judicial Conduct to evaluate and investigate complaints of misconduct against State judges and local justices. The Commission has disciplinary powers and may render determinations to admonish, censure or remove judges and justices from office for misconduct, or to retire judges for disability, subject to review by the Court of Appeals pursuant to Article 6, Section 22, of the Constitution.

Organization and Staffing

There are 11 members of the Commission, who serve part-time and without compensation. Each serves a renewable four-year term and is appointed by the Governor, the Chief Judge and the Legislature.

The Commission elects a Chair and a Vice Chair from among its members for renewable two-year terms. The Commission appoints an Administrator, who in turn appoints and directs Agency staff. The Commission also designates a Clerk to assist the Commission in its consideration of formal disciplinary charges, adjudication of such charges and preparation of determinations and related matters.

The Commission’s principal office is in New York City with satellite offices in Albany and Rochester. Each office is responsible for investigating complaints that concern judges in their respective regions of the state.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2020 Executive Budget recommends $5.7 million All Funds appropriation with a workforce of 43 FTEs. The budget and workforce remain unchanged from the previous fiscal year.

Program Highlights

The Commission's core constitutional mission is to enforce ethics standards for approximately 3,500 judges and justices of the New York State Unified Court System, and to impose discipline on those judges or justices who materially violate those standards. The Commission does so by evaluating and taking appropriate action on the roughly 1,900 complaints it receives every year. All agency staff – lawyers, investigators and administrative personnel – are deployed to fulfill the Agency’s core mission: examine, investigate, prosecute and adjudicate complaints that judges have engaged in misconduct. Ancillary activities, such as participating in judicial or legal education and training seminars, are also in furtherance of the agency’s efforts to enforce judicial ethics.

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category Available
FY 2019
Appropriations
Recommended
FY 2020
Change From
FY 2019
Reappropriations
Recommended
FY 2020
State Operations 5,696,000 5,696,000 0 0
Total 5,696,000 5,696,000 0 0

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program FY 2019
Estimated FTEs
03/31/19
FY 2020
Estimated FTEs
03/31/20
FTE Change
Judicial Conduct
General Fund 43 43 0
Total 43 43 0

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type Available
FY 2019
Recommended
FY 2020
Change
General Fund 5,696,000 5,696,000 0
Total 5,696,000 5,696,000 0

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program Available
FY 2019
Recommended
FY 2020
Change
Judicial Conduct
General Fund 5,696,000 5,696,000 0
Total 5,696,000 5,696,000 0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2020 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program Total Personal Service Regular
(Annual Salaried)
Amount Change Amount Change
Judicial Conduct 4,312,000 0 4,275,000 0
Total 4,312,000 0 4,275,000 0
STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2020 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Temporary Service
(Nonannual Salaried)
Holiday/Overtime Pay
Amount Change Amount Change
Judicial Conduct 37,000 0 0 0
Total 37,000 0 0 0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2020 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program Total Supplies and Materials
Amount Change Amount Change
Judicial Conduct 1,384,000 0 43,000 0
Total 1,384,000 0 43,000 0
STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2020 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Travel Contractual Services
Amount Change Amount Change
Judicial Conduct 100,000 0 1,215,000 0
Total 100,000 0 1,215,000 0
STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2020 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program Equipment
Amount Change
Judicial Conduct 26,000 0
Total 26,000 0

Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/15/2019