Rule 8 Limitation on Filing Petition for Removal from Office or for Compulsory Retirement

Here's a plain English summary of this rule.

If someone wants to file a petition to remove a judge from office or force them into retirement, there's a timing restriction tied to elections. The court clerk cannot accept this type of petition if it's filed within 90 days before a primary or general election, as long as the judge is running for any judicial position in that election.

This means people cannot use these petitions as a political weapon right before an election. The rule protects judges who are candidates from having removal or retirement petitions filed against them in the final three months of a campaign. Anyone wanting to file this kind of petition needs to do it earlier, outside that 90 day window before election day.