Pa. Jud. Conduct Bd. Rule 18

(A) Waiver.

(1) A Judicial Officer who is the subject of a complaint made pursuant to these rules may request in writing that the matter be made public, or may waive confidentiality for a particular purpose specified in writing.

(2) Upon receipt of a written request or waiver pursuant to paragraph (A)(1) or (B), the Board may make those disclosures it deems appropriate.

(B) Upon a determination by the Chair that independent of any action by the Board, the fact that an investigation by the Board is in progress has become a matter of public record, the Board may, at the written request of the Judicial Officer, issue a statement:

(1) to confirm that the investigation is in progress;

(2) to clarify the procedural aspects of the proceedings;

(3) to explain the rights of the subject of the investigation to a fair hearing without prejudgment; or

(4) to provide the Judicial Officer’s response to the complaint.

(C) Information related to violations of criminal laws may be disclosed to the 11 appropriate governmental agency.

(D) Information related to violations of rules of professional conduct may be disclosed to the appropriate agency.

(E) If the Board dismisses a complaint about which information has been made public pursuant to paragraph

(B), the Board may issue a statement that the matter has been dismissed.

(F) At the request of the Judicial Officer, in the discretion of the Chair, the Board may provide relevant information to:

(1) authorized governmental agencies investigating the qualifications of judicial candidates;

(2) the Court of Judicial Discipline or the Supreme Court;

(3) other jurisdictions investigating qualifications for admission to practice; or

(4) law enforcement agencies investigating qualifications for government employment.

(G) Review. If the Chair makes a determination pursuant to paragraph (B) not to disclose information, that determination shall be reviewed by the Board at the request of the Judicial Officer.

(H) Work Product. Board Counsel’s work product and the investigative files shall not be disclosed unless disclosure is required by these rules.

Adopted March 20, 1995, imd. effective.