Section 22.30.070. Disqualification, suspension, removal, retirement, and censure of judges.

   (a) A judge is disqualified from acting as a judge, without loss of salary, while there is pending (1) an indictment or an information charging the judge in the United States with a crime punishable as a felony under Alaska or federal law, or (2) a recommendation to the supreme court by the commission for the removal or retirement of the judge.
   (b) On recommendation of the commission, the supreme court may reprimand, publicly or privately censure, or suspend a judge from office without salary when in the United States the judge pleads guilty or no contest or is found guilty of a crime punishable as a felony under state or federal law or of a crime that involves moral turpitude under state or federal law. If the conviction is reversed, suspension terminates, and the judge shall be paid the judge's salary for the period of suspension. If the judge is suspended and the conviction becomes final, the supreme court shall remove the judge from office.
   (c) On recommendation of the commission, the supreme court may (1) retire a judge for disability that seriously interferes with the performance of duties and that is or may become permanent, and (2) reprimand, publicly or privately censure, or remove a judge for action occurring not more than six years before the commencement of the judge's current term which constitutes wilful misconduct in the office, wilful and persistent failure to perform duties, habitual intemperance, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, or conduct that brings the judicial office into disrepute. The effective date of retirement under (1) of this subsection is the first day of the month coinciding with or after the date that the supreme court files written notice with the commissioner of administration that the judge was retired for disability. A duplicate copy of the notice shall be filed with the judicial council.
   (d) A judge retired by the supreme court shall be considered to have retired voluntarily.  A judge removed by the supreme court is ineligible for judicial office for a period of three years.
   (e) A supreme court justice who has participated in proceedings involving a judge or justice of any court may not participate in an appeal involving that judge or justice in that particular matter.

Notes

History

(Sec. 1 ch 213 SLA 1968; am Sec. 3, 4 ch 58 SLA 1981; am Sec. 14 ch 38 SLA 1987; am Sec. 8, 9 ch 135 SLA 1990)