Opinion ID: 2520026
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: One-tier Process

Text: ¶51 The first challenge to the Judicial Conduct Commission's process is a challenge to its division of duties. Judge Anderson urges that allowing the Commission itself to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate claims against judges creates too great a risk of bias to be constitutionally permissible. Judge Anderson cites no constitutional provision as being violated, but we assume his reference is to due process under the United States Constitution. He also cites no relevant case law in support of his argument, nor did he make a meaningful argument on the point at oral argument. ¶52 This type of argument was addressed by the United States Supreme Court in Withrow v. Larkin, 421 U.S. 35 (1975), a case involving combined investigative and adjudicative functions of a medical board authorized to discipline physicians. Analogously, the Court noted that trial judges often make pre-trial determinations of probable cause (similar to the action taken here by the Judicial Conduct Commission in voting to proceed with formal charges against Judge Anderson) and then preside over a criminal trial related to those charges. Id. at 56. In Withrow, the Court found no constitutional difficulty with this process. Id. Here the Judicial Conduct Commission's involvement is limited to evaluation of the charges for purposes of determining whether formal proceedings should be commenced, and then adjudicating the charges based upon the evidence adduced at the hearing. [14] ¶53 The Judicial Conduct Commission's duty to investigate and prosecute allegations of misconduct against judges is delegated to the Commission staff. The Judicial Conduct Commission itself acts only on questions related to proceeding with a formal case after the initial investigation is complete, and in the adjudication of the charges after notice to the judge, and in a hearing at which evidence is adduced. We see no constitutional infirmity with this process.