What are the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commissions?
The Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commissions are a newly established statewide network of independent screening panels for judicial candidates. For more information please see http://www.ny-ijeqc.org.
Under Part 150 of the Rules of the Chief Administrative Judge, a Commission in each judicial district "shall review the qualifications of candidates for public election to the Supreme Court, County Court, Surrogate’s Court, Family Court, New York City Civil Court, District Courts and City Courts" within its district. Each Commission has 15 members, named by the Chief Judge, the Presiding Justices, the New York State Bar Association, and local bar associations (see List of Appointees).
Appendix A to Part 150 provides the guidelines and procedures for the Commissions, including an overview of the information to be provided by each candidate.
Candidates will need to submit an original and 15 copies of the completed Questionnaire and attachments and/or addenda to the appropriate contact for review (please see the Instructions).
Candidates should refer to the Judicial Campaign Ethics Center website relative to the rules governing their campaigns www.nycourts.gov/ip/jcec/index.shtml, as well as information regarding mandatory training nycourts.gov/ip/jcec/training_faq.
Candidates who are unsure of their Appellate Department and/or Judicial District may wish to consult www.nycourts.gov/courts/appellatebycounty.shtml for a list of Appellate Departments by county.
These Commissions are not intended to supplant or interfere with the work being conducted by bar association screening panels. Instead, they provide an independent assessment from a neutral Judiciary-sponsored body.
Please be sure to review the rules and procedures, and also the press release, to see if your questions are answered therein. Should you have further questions about evaluation of judicial candidates in the Fifth, Seventh or Eighth Judicial Districts, they should be directed to: Mary Gehl Doyle, Esq., Director of Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commissions, 50 East Avenue, Third floor, Rochester, N.Y. 14604, 585-530-3225.