Case Title: Petition of the Comm. on Stand. of Cond. Gov. Judg.

Citation: 698 So. 2d 834

Docket Number: 90133

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 1997-09-04T00:00:00Z

Document:
698 So. 2d 834 (1997)
PETITION OF THE COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF CONDUCT GOVERNING JUDGES.
No. 90133.

Supreme Court of Florida.
September 4, 1997.
Charles J. Kahn, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Standards of Conduct Governing Judges, Tallahassee, for petitioner.
Anthony V. Pace, Jr., Boca Raton, responding.
PER CURIAM.
The Committee on Standards of Conduct Governing Judges (Committee) has requested certain amendments to the Committee's enabling authority as established in Petition of Committee on Standards of Conduct for Judges, 327 So. 2d 5 (Fla.1976), and amended in Petition of Committee on Standards, etc., 367 So. 2d 625 (Fla.1979).
The Committee requests that its name be changed to Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, which is more descriptive of the Committee's duties. The Committee also requests that the enabling authority be amended to authorize three county judges to serve on the Committee. The Committee points out that the Court had previously approved the addition of a third county judge by letter from the Chief Justice dated June 23, 1993, but had not issued a formal amendment. We approve both of these requests.
The Committee's third request pertains to paragraph 5 of the enabling authority which now provides that an opinion of the Committee may in the discretion of the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) be considered as evidence of a good-faith effort to comply with the Code of Judicial Conduct. The Committee agrees that the JQC should not be bound by an advisory opinion. However, the Committee believes that a judge who requests and acts according to a Committee opinion has the right to expect the JQC to consider such action as evidence of a good-faith effort to comply with the Code of Judicial Conduct. The Court agrees with the Committee's reasoning and believes that the JQC in its deliberations does view a judge's actions which are in accordance with a Committee opinion as evidence of good faith. However, the Court also recognizes that the JQC is a separate constitutional body and that this Court has only such authority over the JQC as authorized by article V, section 12 of the Florida Constitution. While this Court in its review of JQC recommendations for discipline will consider such conduct as evidence of good faith, the Court believes that it cannot mandate the JQC to do so. Accordingly, the Committee's third request is denied. We have made a slight change in the language of paragraph 5 to ensure that only action in accordance with a committee opinion could be considered as evidence of good faith.
The enabling authority for the Committee is hereby amended as reflected in the appendix attached hereto. These amendments *835 shall be effective when this opinion becomes final.
It is so ordered.
KOGAN, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, GRIMES, HARDING, WELLS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.
Pursuant to the authority conferred in Article V, sections 2(b) and 15, Fla. Const. Florida Constitution, there is created a Committee on Standards of Conduct Governing Judges Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, to be composed of three district court of appeal judges, four circuit judges, two three county court judges, and one practicing member of The Florida Bar. The purpose of the Committee shall be to render written advisory opinions to inquiring judges concerning the propriety of contemplated judicial and non-judicial conduct.