Oklahoma § 20-1404 - Additional grounds for removal of judicial officer

§ 20-1404. Additional grounds for removal of judicial officer

A. As used in this section, the term "judicial officer"

includes the judges of all courts created by the state or

municipalities of the state.

B. In addition to the causes specified in Article VII-A,

Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution, the acts and omissions

enumerated below shall constitute grounds for the removal by the

Court on the Judiciary of a judicial officer from his office, with

or without disqualification to hold a judicial office in the future:

1. The acceptance of a fee, or gratuity, other than that

specifically provided by law, for performing any act in a judicial

officer's capacity as a judge.

2. Continued willful failure of a judicial officer to comply

with rules and directives of the Supreme Court, the presiding judge

of his administrative district, or the chief judge of the judicial

district.

3. Participation by a judicial officer, while serving as such

officer or while a candidate for judicial office, in any partisan

political activity. But the term "partisan political activity," as

used herein, shall not include the attendance by a judicial officer

or by a candidate for a judicial office at a political gathering,

upon payment of a nominal admission fee, for the sole purpose of

campaigning in his own behalf for a judicial office.

4. Participation by a judicial officer, while serving as such

officer or while a candidate for a judicial office, in any election

campaign other than that for his own election to a judicial office.

5. A judicial officer becoming a candidate for any nonjudicial

office or for another judicial office whose term is to commence

before the expiration of his present term of office; provided that

no judge holding a nonelective judgeship shall become a candidate in

a race in which the incumbent seeks to retain an elective judicial

office unless he first resign his appointive judgeship.

6. A judicial officer, while serving as such officer or while a

candidate for a judicial office, making publicly known in his

campaign material or speeches, or knowingly permitting others to

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 20. Courts

make publicly known, either directly or by implication, his

political party affiliation.

C. Violation by a judicial officer of the Code of Judicial

Conduct as adopted by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma on July 15,

1974, or as may be thereafter amended, may constitute grounds for

the removal by the court on the judiciary of a judicial officer from

office, with or without disqualification to hold a judicial office

in the future.

Added by Laws 1969, c. 256, § 1, emerg. eff. April 24, 1969.

Amended by Laws 1971, c. 86, § 1, emerg. eff. April 16, 1971; Laws

1973, c. 34, § 1, emerg. eff. April 24, 1973; Laws 1974, c. 296, §

1, emerg. eff. May 29, 1974; Laws 1997, c. 239, § 8, eff. July 1,

1997.