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Statement of Allegations and Reasons in Chief Judge Dismissal Orders Under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980

Jeffrey N. Barr, Thomas E. Willging
May 1, 2002

This brief report was prepared at the request of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property of the House Judiciary Committee. Researchers found that in reviewing complaints of judicial misconduct or disability filed pursuant to statute, chief judges of all but one of the circuits have usually applied Judicial Conference standards that call for a restatement of allegations in the complaint and a reasoned response to such allegations. Researchers also found that 80% of the chief judge dismissal orders cited as a reason for dismissal the close relationship between a complainant's allegations and the merits of a decision by the judge who was the subject of the complaint.