Committees
Current Supreme Court Committees
The Supreme Court is responsible for promulgating the Code of Judicial Ethics pursuant to Article VI, section 18(m), of the California Constitution. The Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Code of Judicial Ethics makes recommendations to the court regarding whether amendments to the Code are necessary or appropriate.
Recent Committee Activity
Supreme Court Adopts Changes in Ethics Code for California Judges (Nov. 1, 2007)
Proposed Changes in Judicial Ethics Circulated for Public Comment (April 16, 2007)
About the Committee
The Supreme Court established the Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions (CJEO) to help inform the judiciary and the public concerning judicial ethics topics. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.80.) CJEO publishes formal advisory opinions, issues confidential written opinions, and provides oral advice on proper judicial conduct pursuant to the California Code of Judicial Ethics and other authorities. In providing its advisory opinions, the committee acts independently of the Supreme Court, the Commission on Judicial Performance, the Judicial Council, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and all other entities. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.80(b).)
Committee Members
CJEO members are appointed by the Supreme Court as part of its constitutional responsibility to guide the conduct of judges and judicial candidates (Cal. Const., art. VI, § 18, subd. (m)). The court appoints members to CJEO who have a strong background in judicial ethics and diverse courtroom experience. CJEO’s current members are judicial officers who have served in courts of various sizes throughout the state.
CJEO Website
For more information about CJEO and its advisory opinions, visit the CJEO website at: http://www.JudicialEthicsOpinions.ca.gov/
To contact CJEO directly, call toll-free at 1 (855) 854-5366, or email Judicial.Ethics@jud.ca.gov.
Past Supreme Court Committees
The Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules for Publication of Court of Appeal Opinions is charged with reviewing the current standards used by the Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court in determining which Court of Appeal opinions should be certified for publication and with making recommendations to the Supreme Court on what changes, if any, should be instituted to better ensure that appropriate cases are published. The 13-member committee is chaired by Supreme Court Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar.
- Report and Recommendations | PDF Format (347 KB) | DOC Format (620 KB)
- Appendixes | PDF Format (1,205 KB)
News Release: Supreme Court Amends Rules on Publication of Court of Appeal Opinions (December 12, 2006)
Committee Activity
Final Report and Recommendations (November 2006)
Report and recommendations of the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to review the rules for the publication of Court of Appeal opinions and recommend whether the criteria or procedures in the rules should be changed. The report summarizes publication statistics, survey results and other information considered by the committee and recommends changes in the rules, including stating that an opinion which meets one or more of the publication criteria should be certified for publication.
Invitation to Comment: Revised Recommendations for Amendment to California Rule of Court, Rule 976 (CLOSED April 28, 2006, 32 KB)
News Release: Supreme Court Committee Seeks New Comments on Publication Proposal (February 23, 2006)
Invitation to Comment: Preliminary Report and Recommendations on Rules for Publication of Court of Appeal Opinions (CLOSED Jan. 6, 2006 1,141 KB)
News Release: Supreme Court to Study Rules for Publication of Court of Appeal Opinions (Nov. 23, 2004)
The Supreme Court Multijurisdictional Practice Implementation Committee was appointed to determine the specific rules and procedures necessary to implement recommendations for modifying the restrictions on the practice of law by attorneys who are not members of the State Bar of California. The committee submitted its report and recommendations to the Supreme Court, which has adopted the committee's proposed rules governing practice by non-California attorneys serving as in-house counsel, legal services attorneys, litigation attorneys in California in anticipation of litigation or in connection with litigation elsewhere, and non-litigation attorneys temporarily in California. The new rules took effect on November 15, 2004.
- Final Report and Proposed Rules of the California Supreme Court Multijurisdictional Practice Implementation Committee (March 2004, 77 KB)
Report and recommendations by the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to implement the recommendations of the court's Task Force on Multijurisdictional Practice. The report considers the extent to which attorneys not licensed to practice by the State Bar of California may provide services in California, and includes proposed rules governing their conduct.
Committee reports
After announcing in late 2007 that it would appoint a Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions, the Supreme Court appointed an Implementation Committee to make recommendations to the court on proposed procedures and rules for the new ethics committee. The Implementation Committee included the seven members of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Code of Judicial Ethics, two members nominated by the Commission on Judicial Performance, and two members nominated by the California Judges Association. The chair of the committee was Justice Richard D. Fybel of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three. The California Supreme Court then adopted Rule 9.80, effective July 1, 2009, governing the practices and procedures to be followed by its new Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions.
- Memorandum: Implementation Committee's Final Report to the Supreme Court Concerning the Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions
- Invitation to Comment on the Implementation Committee's Report and Recommendations to the Supreme Court Concerning the Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions