Press Release  Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct Publishes 2014 Annual Report

Boston, MA — On June 8, 2015, the Commission on Judicial Conduct’s Executive Director, Howard V. Neff, III, published the Commission’s Annual Report, covering its activities from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

The Commission reports that 343 complaints were filed with the Commission in 2014, and out of those complaints, 56 were docketed for investigation or preliminary inquiry, as each met the standard of alleging facts that, if true, would constitute judicial misconduct.

The Commission considered 73 complaints filed in 2014 and previous years and disposed of 68 of them in 2014. Of the 73 complaints considered by the Commission in 2014, 61 were dismissed upon the Commission’s finding of no misconduct. In seven of those instances, the Commission expressed concern to the judge regarding future conduct. Twelve complaints that were subject to an Informal Adjustment or Agreed Disposition were actively monitored by the Commission in 2014 and seven of those complaints were successfully closed.

The Annual Report includes statistics for the year 2014, overall statistics dating back to the year 2010, a copy of the Commission’s enabling statute, a copy of its rules, and the Code of the Judicial Conduct. The Commission’s statute and rules, and a copy of the 2014 Annual Report are available on the Commission’s website: www.mass.gov/cjc.

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