Pennsylvania Code › Title 204 - JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS › Part II - GENERAL ADMINISTRATION › Chapter 27 - PENNSYLVANIA RULES FOR CONTINUING JUDICIAL EDUCATION › Rule 102 - General

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Purpose
. The public properly expects that judges will maintain
				professional competence and ethical behavior. These rules are intended to meet
				the public's expectations by promulgating mandatory continuing education
				requirements for Pennsylvania judges.
The continuing judicial education program is adopted to
				  assure that judges continue their education to have and maintain the requisite
				  knowledge and skill to fulfill their judicial responsibilities. To satisfy this
				  requirement, judges must participate in continuing judicial education programs
				  or activities that reinforce and enhance their judicial practice.
(b)
Scope
.
				Justices of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and judges of the Commonwealth
				Court of Pennsylvania, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, the Courts of Common
				Pleas, and Philadelphia Municipal Court, and certified senior judges of these
				courts, must complete a program of continuing judicial education as of January
				1, 2017 and thereafter. All exceptions and exemptions from this requirement
				must have the approval of the Continuing Judicial Education Board of Judges
				("Board").
(c)
Definitions
. Subject to any definitions contained in
				subsequent rules, the following words and phrases, when used in these rules,
				shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following
				meanings:
"
Accredited Provider
." A provider of
				  continuing judicial education that has been approved to provide judicial
				  education courses or activities for judicial education credit in accordance
				  with these rules.
"
Alternative Education Activity
." A
				  nontraditional continuing education program or activity.
"
Applicant
." A non-accredited provider or a
				  provider who has lost accreditation.
"
Board
." The Continuing Judicial Education
				  Board of Judges established by the Supreme Court's Order of December 9,
				  2016.
"
CJE
." Continuing judicial education to be
				  provided under these rules.
"
Department
." The Judicial Education
				  Department of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
"
Distance Education
." Education that is
				  delivered remotely.
"
Judge
." A commissioned jurist in the
				  Commonwealth's Unified Judicial System who is a justice of the Supreme Court of
				  Pennsylvania, a judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, a judge of the
				  Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, a judge of a Court of Common Pleas, or a
				  judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court. The term also includes judges
				  serving on the aforementioned courts in senior status pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. No.
				  701.
"
Judicial Education
." Includes topics of
				  study that encompass substantive and procedural law and judicial ethics, as
				  well as topics to enhance judicial skills, including, but not limited to, case
				  management, legal writing, legal history, philosophy of law, and the physical
				  and social sciences.
"
Judicial Practice
." Includes, but is not
				  limited to, a judge's knowledge, competence, and proficiency in the areas of
				  substantive law, procedural law, judicial ethics, and judicial
				  procedures.
"
Provider
." A person or entity that delivers
				  continuing judicial education under these rules.
"
Supreme Court
." The Supreme Court of
				  Pennsylvania.