2024 California Rules of Court
Rule 10.502. Judicial sabbatical program
(a) Objective
Sabbatical leave is a privilege available to jurists by statute. The objective of sabbatical leave is to facilitate study that will benefit the administration of justice and enhance judges' performance of their duties.
(Subd (a) amended effective July 23, 2018)
(b) Eligibility
Any judge is eligible to apply for an unpaid sabbatical under Government Code section 68554.
(Subd (b) amended effective July 23, 2018)
(c) Application
(1) Judge may apply for a sabbatical by submitting a sabbatical proposal to the Administrative Director with a copy to the presiding judge or justice.
(2) The sabbatical proposal must include:
(A) The beginning and ending dates of the proposed sabbatical;
(B) A description of the sabbatical project, including an explanation of how the sabbatical will benefit the administration of justice and the judge's performance of his or her duties; and
(C) A statement from the presiding judge or justice of the affected court, indicating approval or disapproval of the sabbatical request and the reasons for such approval or disapproval, forwarded to the Executive and Planning Committee with a copy to the judge.
(Subd (c) amended effective July 23, 2018; previously amended effective January 1, 2007 and January 1, 2016.)
(d) Review of applications
The Executive and Planning Committee will make recommendations to the Judicial Council regarding sabbatical requests, with support from the council's human resources staff.
(Subd (d) amended effective July 23, 2018; previously amended effective January 1, 2007 and January 1, 2016.)
(e) Evaluation
(1) The Administrative Director must forward all sabbatical requests that comply with (c) to the Executive and Planning Committee.
(2) The Executive and Planning Committee must recommend granting or denying the sabbatical request after it considers the following factors:
(A) Whether the sabbatical will benefit the administration of justice in California and the judge's performance of his or her duties; and
(B) Whether the sabbatical leave will be detrimental to the affected court.
(Subd (e) amend effective July 23, 2018; previously amended effective January 1, 2016.)
(f) Length
Unpaid judicial sabbatical taken under Government Code section 68554 may not exceed one year.
(Subd (f) amended effective July 23, 2018)
(g) Ethics and compensation
A judge on unpaid sabbatical leave is subject to the California Code of Judicial Ethics and may receive compensation and reimbursement for expenses for activities performed during that sabbatical leave as provided in canon 4H of the Code of Judicial Ethics.
(Subd (g) amended effective July 23, 2018)
(h) Retirement and benefits
A judge on unpaid sabbatical leave under Government Code section 68554 receives no compensation, and the period of absence does not count as service toward retirement. The leave does not affect the term of office.
(Subd (h) amended and relettered effective July 23, 2018; adopted as subd (i) effective January 1, 2007.)
(i) Judge's report
On completion of a sabbatical leave, the judge must report in writing to the Judicial Council on how the leave benefited the administration of justice in California and on its effect on his or her official duties as a judicial officer.
(Subd (i) amended and relettered effective July 23, 2018; adopted as subd (h) effective January 1, 2007.)
Rule 10.502 amended effective July 23, 2018; adopted as rule 6.151 effective January 1, 2003; previously amended and renumbered as rule 10.502 effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2016.