Rule 8 - Conference Teams(a) Purpose. Every judge must meet with an assigned Conference Team to assist in identifying aspects of the judge's performance that may need improvement and to help the judge develop plans for self-improvement.(b) Timing. Following each of a judge's mid-term and retention election performance reviews, the judge must meet with the assigned Conference Team.(c) Composition. The Commission Chair must solicit recommendations from the public to assist in appointing Conference Team members. The Chair or the Chair's designee must appoint Conference Teams comprised of one member of the public, one attorney who is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, and one active or retired judge. No more than one member of a Conference Team may be a member of the Commission.(d) Organization. Conference Team members may organize themselves as necessary to perform their assigned duties.(e) Terms. A Conference Team may review more than one judge during any review period. Conference Team members will be appointed to serve until the completion of Conference Team meetings during the even-numbered year following their appointment.(f) Meetings. Meetings of the Conference Team require the presence of all 3 members. Conference Team meeting logistics are within their discretion. The substance of Conference Team meetings is confidential.(g) Self-Evaluation Form. Before meeting with the Conference Team, each judge must complete a self-evaluation form reflecting on the judge's performance. The completed self-evaluation form is confidential and may not be used in the Commission's evaluation process. It is furnished only to the Conference Team before its meeting with the judge, and then to the judge's presiding or chief judge and the Chief Justice together with the self-improvement plan developed with the Conference Team.(h) Conference Team Report. The judge and Conference Team must develop a written plan for self-improvement. Once finalized, the plan must be signed by the judge and the Conference Team members.(1)Development. In developing the self-improvement plan, the judge and Conference Team must consider previous and current survey results and narrative comments, the previous self-improvement plan, and any objective data demonstrating completion of the previous plan.(2)Distribution. The self-improvement plan is distributed only to the judge being reviewed, the judge's presiding or chief judge, and the Chief Justice. The selfimprovement plan, with the name of the judge redacted, may be distributed to the Administrative Office of the Courts for use in development of judicial education programs. Neither the Conference Team Report nor the self-improvement plan may be distributed to the Commission or used by the Commission in determining whether a judge meets the judicial performance standards for retention.Ariz. R. P. Jud. Perfor. Rev. 8
Adopted Aug. 24, 2023, effective 10/1/2023.