Judicial Performance

* Your April 23 editorial calls for an overhaul of California’s judicial disciplinary system, advocating the adoption of timetables for the commission’s investigations and giving more serious consideration to complaints from supervising judges.

Each year, the commission resolves approximately 1,000 complaints. In 2000, the average length of time from the commission’s receipt of a complaint to the disposition date was 3.7 months. The only state of which I am aware that has a state-mandated limit is Texas. California’s average disposition of complaints in 3.7 months is already far less than Texas’ state-mandated performance measure of 6.1 months. The commission already has adopted a policy of giving precedence to the investigation of complaints submitted by presiding and supervising judges.

The commission continues to explore other means of reducing delay in its proceedings. In so doing, the commission will take care to ensure that the due process rights of judges are not sacrificed while fulfilling its mandate to protect the public.

VICTORIA B. HENLEY

Director and Chief Counsel

Commission on Judicial

Performance, San Francisco