If the preliminary investigation discloses that the charge is supported by substantial evidence, the commission shall direct that a public hearing be held, that the judge be notified of the nature of the charge and given the opportunity to be heard. The judge shall have the right to counsel and to confront the witnesses against him or her and shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to present a defense. The charges contained in the notice of hearing and any answer filed by the judge shall be public documents. In the event that the commission finds in its investigation that the violation of the Canons of Judicial Ethics is not of a serious nature, the commission may in its discretion issue a private reprimand to the judge. Such a reprimand is not public, unless the judge chooses to appeal within 10 days and requests a hearing, in which case, the hearing shall be open to the public.
All investigatory proceedings leading up to the filing of a formal charge are confidential.
In short, the commission acts very much like a grand jury. Its proceedings are confidential unless and until it finds probable cause of a substantial violation. Similarly all actions of a grand jury are secret up to the point that an indictment is returned against the accused. This confidentiality is designed to protect the innocent from the publication of false allegations. Upon completion of a formal hearing the commission may either dismiss the complaint for failure to prove the charge or it may recommend to the Supreme Court the censure, suspension, public reprimand, retirement, or removal from of fice of the judge under investigation provided that in the case of a justice of the Supreme Court the recommendation would be for impeachment.