The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is seeking public input on proposed amendments related to the Committee on Judicial Conduct. The court has outlined three key areas for consideration: changes to the order establishing the committee, revisions to the rules governing it, and new provisions for judicial disciplinary proceedings following a committee report.
These proposals are intended to take effect immediately upon adoption and will apply to ongoing cases. Notably, they aim to clarify that reports from the committee and all subsequent court filings and proceedings will be made public. Additionally, they propose procedures for handling such reports, including a requirement that any report concerning a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court be reviewed by a panel consisting of senior justices from both the Superior Court and District Court.
Interested parties must submit their comments by January 23, 2025. Submissions can be made in writing or via email to lawcourt.clerk@courts.maine.gov. If emailed as an attachment, it must be in native PDF format. All submissions should include contact information for both individuals and organizations if applicable.
Comments received will become public records and may be posted on the court's website.
"Any comments must be filed with the Executive Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2025," stated Matthew Pollack, Executive Clerk of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.