COBI 2015 - Judicial Conduct Commission

Overview
Issues
Performance
Background
Financials

Sources Uses

FY 2016 Appropriation

The Judicial Conduct Commission is a quasi-independent agency that investigates and resolves complaints against Utah judges. The executive director manages claims, assigns investigators, and prosecutes judges when necessary. The commission dismisses approximately ninety percent of all complaints, resolves five percent by stipulation, and conducts formal hearings for five percent of all complaints.

Funding History

Related Publications

What is the Judicial Conduct Commission and Where Can I Find Its Budget?

Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $251,800 from all sources for Judicial Conduct Commission. This is a 6.4 percent reduction from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $251,800 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 2.3 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time DAS Finance Reallocation of Nonlapsing Balance$0$25,000

OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source

$0$25,000Beginning Nonlapsing - Finance

DAS Finance Reallocation of Nonlapsing Balance

Judicial Conduct Commission Complaints Received

The commission strives to promote public confidence in the judicial system and create greater awareness of proper judicial conduct. The following chart shows the number of complaints received and investigated by the commission. Note that the Governor's Office of Management and Budget is currently revamping the performance measures for Administrative Services.

Statute

A constitutional amendment passed in 1984 established the Commission as part of Article VIII, Section 13 of the Utah Constitution. Following investigations and hearings, if the commission finds cause as outlined in Section 13, it may recommend that the Supreme Court reprimand, censure, suspend, remove, or involuntarily retire any justice or judge.

Commission composition is defined in UCA 78A-11-103 as:

Two members from the House of Representatives
Two members of the Senate
Two members of the Utah State Bar
Three non-members of the Bar, appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate
Two judges appointed by a majority of the Utah Supreme Court

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 47

Under the terms of 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for Judicial Conduct Commission in Item 22, Chapter 11, Laws of Utah 2014, shall not lapse at the close of FY 2015. Expenditures of these funds are limited to professional services for investigations: $100,000.

Current expense in this budget is used to hire outside investigators and temporary employees based on case load.

Display By:

Funding Source

Expenditure Category

Appropriation Type:

Appropriation History by

Programs	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Judicial Conduct Commission	227,200	239,700	235,600	243,000	242,900	26,200	269,100	(17,300)	251,800
Total	$227,200	$239,700	$235,600	$243,000	$242,900	$26,200	$269,100	($17,300)	$251,800

Sources of Finance	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
General Fund	207,200	206,600	210,600	240,400	245,500	0	245,500	5,600	251,100
General Fund, One-time	0	0	0	300	700	0	700	0	700
Beginning Nonlapsing	78,300	58,300	25,200	200	0	(2,100)	(2,100)	2,100	0
Beginning Nonlapsing - Finance	0	0	0	0	0	25,000	25,000	(25,000)	0
Closing Nonlapsing	(58,300)	(25,200)	(200)	2,100	(3,300)	3,300	0	0	0
Total	$227,200	$239,700	$235,600	$243,000	$242,900	$26,200	$269,100	($17,300)	$251,800

Categories of Expenditure	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Personnel Services	190,400	195,600	198,300	201,300	207,000	4,500	211,500	5,900	217,400
In-state Travel	2,000	2,800	1,200	2,200	1,200	(100)	1,100	5,000	6,100
Out-of-state Travel	4,400	7,100	2,600	8,400	2,600	(1,000)	1,600	(3,900)	(2,300)
Current Expense	23,800	28,800	24,100	27,400	25,700	23,100	48,800	(24,600)	24,200
DP Current Expense	6,600	5,400	9,400	3,700	6,400	(300)	6,100	300	6,400
Total	$227,200	$239,700	$235,600	$243,000	$242,900	$26,200	$269,100	($17,300)	$251,800

Show Table | Show Additional Information

Other Indicators	FY11 Actual	FY12 Actual	FY13 Actual	FY14 Actual	FY15 Approp	FY15 Change	FY15 Revised	FY16 Change	FY16 Approp
Budgeted FTE	2	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50	0.50	2	0	2
Actual FTE	1.50	1.57	1.60	1.50	0	0	0	0	0

COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.