§ 51-51i — Grounds for removal, suspension and censure.

Connecticut § 51-51i

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 51: Courts
• Ch. 872a: Removal, Suspension and Censure of Judges

Text

(a) In addition to removal by impeachment and removal by the Governor on the address of two-thirds of each house of the General Assembly as provided in the Connecticut Constitution, a judge shall be subject, in the manner and under the procedures provided in this chapter to censure, suspension or removal from office for (1) conduct prejudicial to the impartial and effective administration of justice which brings the judicial office in disrepute, (2) wilful violation of section 51-39a or any canon of judicial ethics, (3) wilful and persistent failure to perform the duty of a judge, (4) neglectful or incompetent performance of the duties of a judge, (5) final conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, (6) disbarment or suspension as an attorney-at-law, (7) wilful failure to file a financial statement or the filing of a fraudulent financial statement required under section 51-46a, or (8) temperament which adversely affects the orderly carriage of justice. (b) In addition to removal by the Governor for cause pursuant to subsection (f) of section 46b-231 , a family support magistrate shall be subject, in the manner and under the procedures provided in this chapter to censure, suspension or removal from office for (1) conduct prejudicial to the impartial and effective administration of justice which brings the magisterial office in disrepute, (2) wilful violation of section 51-39a or any canon of judicial ethics, (3) wilful and persistent failure to perform the duty of a magistrate, (4) neglectful or incompetent performance of the duties of a magistrate, (5) final conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, (6) disbarment or suspension as an attorney-at-law, (7) wilful failure to file a financial statement or the filing of a fraudulent financial statement required under section 51-46a , or (8) temperament which adversely affects the orderly carriage of justice. (c) In addition to removal by the Governor for cause pursuant to subsection (e) of section 31-276 , an administrative law judge shall be subject, in the manner and under procedures provided in this chapter to censure, suspension or removal from office for (1) conduct prejudicial to the impartial and effective administration of the duties of an administrative law judge which brings the office of administrative law judge in disrepute, (2) wilful violation of any provision of the code of ethics for administrative law judges, (3) wilful and persistent failure to perform the duty of an administrative law judge, (4) neglectful or incompetent performance of the duties of an administrative law judge, (5) final conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, (6) disbarment or suspension as an attorney-at-law, or (7) temperament which adversely affects the orderly carriage of the duties of an administrative law judge.

Legislative History

(P.A. 77-494, S. 3, 18; P.A. 78-281, S. 3; P.A. 82-248, S. 37; P.A. 84-435, S. 4, 6; P.A. 86-402, S. 2, 13; P.A. 89-360, S. 30, 45; P.A. 92-160, S. 12, 19; P.A. 99-267, S. 1, 3; P.A. 21-18, S. 1.) History: P.A. 78-281 added Subdiv. (8) re disciplinary actions against judges who wilfully fail to file financial statement or who file fraudulent statement; P.A. 82-248 deleted “a” before “wilful” and substituted “any canon” for “the cannons”; P.A. 84-435 amended Subdiv. (2) by adding reference to Sec. 51-39a, effective July 1, 1985; P.A. 86-402 deleted former Subdiv. (5) re censure, suspension or removal for habitual intemperance in use of intoxicating liquors or controlled substances, renumbering as necessary, and added Subdiv. (8) re temperament which adversely affects the orderly carriage of justice; P.A. 89-360 added Subsec. (b) re grounds for removal, censure and suspension of family support magistrate; P.A. 92-160 added Subsec. (c) re grounds for censure, suspension or removal from office of compensation commissioner; P.A. 99-267 amended Subsec. (c) by adding wilful violation of any provision of the code of ethics for workers' compensation commissioners as a ground for censure, suspension or removal from office and made technical changes, effective July 8, 1999; pursuant to P.A. 21-18, “compensation commissioner” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “administrative law judge” and “workers' compensation commissioners” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “administrative law judges” in Subsec. (c), effective October 1, 2021. Cited. 193 C. 180; 222 C. 799; 227 C. 784; 240 C. 157. Cited. 42 CS 129.