Rule 52.18 Procedural rights of judicial officer or employee

If a judge or court employee is accused of misconduct, they have real rights to defend themselves during the process. They can hire a lawyer and have that lawyer represent them at every stage. They can question witnesses who testify against them, face their accusers directly, and present their own evidence to support their side of the story. These proceedings follow the same basic rules used in regular civil court cases, including rules about what evidence can be used.

The judge or employee also gets to keep working while the case is being investigated or decided. Just because someone files a complaint doesn't mean the person has to stop doing their job right away. They keep their normal duties unless the Commission specifically orders them to stop. This means a judge accused of wrongdoing can still hear cases and do their work while the investigation moves forward, unless the Commission decides otherwise.