On Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the California Commission on Judicial Performance released its 2024 Annual Report, detailing its oversight of judicial conduct across the state. The report provides comprehensive statistics on complaints received and investigated, as well as summaries of disciplinary actions taken against active and former judges during the year. The commission, tasked with maintaining judicial integrity, oversees 1,868 judgeships, including seven Supreme Court justices, 106 Courts of Appeal justices, and 1,755 Superior Court judges, as of December 31, 2024.
In 2024, the commission handled a total of 1,718 new complaints involving active and former judges. These complaints implicated 2,095 judges, though they involved 1,153 unique individuals, indicating some judges faced multiple allegations. The report notes that the commission began the year with 131 pending cases and concluded 1,715 cases by year’s end, leaving 114 cases unresolved as of December 31, 2024. Minor discrepancies in totals stem from cases that were consolidated during the review process.
The commission initiated 117 preliminary investigations in 2024 to assess the validity of complaints. These investigations often involve interviewing witnesses, reviewing court documents, and observing courtroom proceedings. Additionally, the commission managed formal proceedings, starting the year with one ongoing case and launching two new ones. By the end of 2024, two of these formal proceedings were resolved, while one remained active.
Deferral of investigations occurred in 31 instances throughout the year, typically when related court cases, appeals, or other proceedings were still pending. At the start of 2024, 40 matters were already deferred. During the year, 26 deferred cases were reactivated and concluded, 14 were returned to the active calendar but remained pending, and 30 stayed deferred as of year-end. Reasons for deferral included 23 cases tied to unresolved underlying cases, four awaiting appeal outcomes, two linked to monitoring under commission rules, and two connected to criminal or administrative proceedings.
The report also outlines case summaries of disciplinary actions taken against judges in 2024, categorized into public and private measures. Public discipline included severe sanctions such as removal from office, public censures, and public admonishments. Removal from office, reserved for the most serious and persistent misconduct, was detailed in cases starting on page 19 of the report. These summaries describe instances where judges were found to have engaged in behavior warranting their exit from the bench, though specific names and details are not disclosed in this overview.
Public censures addressed significant misconduct that did not rise to the level of removal but required formal public reprimand. These cases typically involved actions deemed prejudicial to the administration of justice or violations of the Code of Judicial Ethics. Public admonishments were issued for less severe but still notable infractions, serving as a public warning to the involved judges.
Private discipline, detailed later in the report, included private admonishments and advisory letters. Private admonishments, starting on page 60, were issued for serious misconduct that did not warrant public disclosure, providing a confidential notice to the judge about their behavior. Advisory letters, noted from page 61, addressed minor issues, offering guidance or expressing disapproval without formal punishment. These confidential measures aim to correct behavior while maintaining judicial privacy, with summaries provided in the report without identifying the judges.
The commission’s jurisdiction extends beyond active judges to former judges for actions committed during their tenure, allowing for posthumous or post-retirement discipline in certain cases. In 2024, the commission also processed 608 complaints outside its authority, such as those involving federal judges, temporary judges, or other officials, referring these to appropriate agencies.
The annual report underscores the commission’s rigorous process, from initial complaint review to final disposition, ensuring accountability within California’s judiciary. Each case undergoes thorough evaluation, with options ranging from dismissal to formal hearings before special masters appointed by the Supreme Court. The 2024 statistics and case summaries reflect the commission’s ongoing efforts to uphold judicial standards across the state’s courts.
A copy of the report can be found here.
