Sec. 51. (a) Any citizen of Indiana may complain to the commission on judicial qualifications with reference to the activities, fitness, or qualifications of any judge of the St. Joseph superior court. Upon receiving a complaint or request, the commission on judicial qualifications shall make an initial inquiry to determine if a complaint is founded and not frivolous. The commission on judicial qualifications, without receiving a complaint, may make an initial inquiry on its own motion.
(b) If the commission on judicial qualifications considers it necessary as a result of its initial inquiry to conduct further investigation, the judge involved may then be notified of the investigation, the nature of the charge, the complaint that must be in writing, the name of the person making the complaint, if any, or that the investigation is on the commission's own motion and the judge shall be afforded reasonable opportunity in the course of the investigation to present matters as the judge may choose. When this notice is given, it must be by prepaid registered or certified mail addressed to the judge at the judge's chambers and at the judge's last known address. If the investigation does not disclose sufficient cause to warrant further proceedings, the judge may be so notified. The commission on judicial qualifications may make investigations by members of the commission or by special investigators employed by the commission, hold confidential hearings with the person filing the complaint or with the person's agents or attorneys, and hold confidential hearings with the judge involved in the complaint.
(c) If the commission on judicial qualification's initial inquiry or investigation does not disclose sufficient cause to warrant further proceedings and if the complainant subsequently issues any statement or statements of any kind for public dissemination relating to the activities or actions of the commission, the commission may answer that statement by reference to as much of the record of its proceedings or results of its investigation as it considers necessary.
[Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-40-55.]
As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.
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