Section 602.2106. Procedure before supreme court.

  1.  If the commission submits an application to the supreme court to retire, discipline, or remove a judicial officer or to discipline or remove an employee of the judicial branch, the commission shall promptly file in the supreme court a transcript of the hearing before the commission. The statutes and rules relative to proceedings in appeals of equity suits apply.

  2.  The attorney general shall prosecute the proceedings in the supreme court on behalf of the state, and the judicial officer or employee of the judicial branch may defend in person and by counsel.

  3.  Upon application by the commission, the supreme court may do any of the following:

  a.  Retire the judicial officer for permanent physical or mental disability which substantially interferes with the performance of judicial duties.

  b.  Discipline or remove the judicial officer for persistent failure to perform duties, habitual intemperance, willful misconduct in office, conduct which brings judicial office into disrepute, or substantial violation of the canons of judicial ethics. Discipline may include suspension without pay for a definite period of time not to exceed twelve months.

  c.  Discipline or remove an employee of the judicial branch for conduct which violates the code of ethics prescribed by the supreme court for court employees.

  4.  If the supreme court finds that the application should be granted in whole or in part, it shall render the decree that it deems appropriate.

83 Acts, ch 186, §3106, 10201

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92 Acts, ch 1228, §34

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98 Acts, ch 1047, §56