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Commission proceedings are confidential,
including the fact that there is a complaint or investigation, as provided
in Article IV, Section 31
of the Washington State Constitution, RCW
2.64 and Commission on Judicial Conduct Rules of Procedure (CJCRP).
Any person violating rules of confidentiality is subject to contempt proceedings
in superior court.
Confidentiality is intended to encourage
complainants to express their concerns without fear of reprisal and to
protect a judge's reputation and the integrity of the judicial process
from unsubstantiated allegations.
When the Commission concludes from
initial proceedings that there is probable cause to believe a judge has
violated the Code of Judicial Conduct, a statement of charges is served
on the respondent judge and then filed as a public record. Any subsequent
fact-finding hearing is public and, at the commencement of the hearing,
the records that formed the basis of the finding of probable cause are
filed in the hearing record.
Click
here for additional info on how confidentiality rules apply to the
complainant.
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