Rule 2.12 Limitation of Complaints

If you want to file a complaint against a judge for breaking judicial conduct rules, you need to act within two years. The clock starts running from the moment you actually knew about the problem, or from when you reasonably should have figured it out even if you didn't know right away.

If you wait longer than two years to file, the Commission will dismiss your complaint automatically. It won't matter how serious the violation was or whether you had a good reason for waiting. The time limit is strict, so if you think a judge has violated conduct rules, it's best to file your complaint as soon as you're aware of the issue rather than waiting.

This rule exists to make sure complaints get investigated while evidence and memories are still fresh, and to give judges some certainty that old conduct won't come back to haunt them indefinitely.