Wash. Gen. R. 26

Preamble. The protection of the rights of free citizens depends upon the existence of an

independent and competent judiciary. The challenge of maintaining judicial competence

requires ongoing education of judges in the application of legal principles and the art of judging

in order to meet the needs of a changing society. This rule establishes the minimum

requirements for continuing judicial education of judicial officers.

(a) Minimum Requirement. Each judicial officer shall complete a minimum of 45 credit

hours of continuing judicial education approved by the Board for Judicial Administration’s Court

Education Committee (CEC) every three years, commencing January 1 of the calendar year

following the adoption of this rule. If a judicial officer completes more than 45 such credit hours

in a three-year reporting period, up to 15 hours of the excess credit may be carried forward and

applied to the judicial officer’s education requirement for the following three-year reporting

period. At least six credit hours for each three-year reporting period shall be earned by

completing programs in judicial ethics approved by the CEC. At least four and one half credit

hours for each three-year reporting period shall be earned by completing programs in diversity,

equity, and inclusion issues, as approved by the CEC. The fifteen credit hours that may be

carried forward may include two credit hours toward the judicial ethics requirement and one and

one half credit hours toward the diversity, equity, and inclusion requirement.

(b) Judicial College Attendance.

(1) A judicial officer shall attend and complete the Washington Judicial College program

within twelve months of the initial appointment or election to the judicial office.

(2) A judicial officer who attended the Washington Judicial College during their term of

office in a court of limited jurisdiction shall attend and complete the Washington Judicial

College within twelve (12) months of any subsequent appointment or election to the Superior

Court. A judicial officer who attended the Washington Judicial College during their term of

office in the Superior Court shall attend and complete the Washington Judicial College within

twelve (12) months of any subsequent appointment or election as a judicial officer in a court of

limited jurisdiction. A judicial officer who attended the Washington Judicial College during

their term of office in a superior court or court of limited jurisdiction and is subsequently

appointed or elected to an appellate court position is not required to attend the Washington

Judicial College.

(3) A judicial officer of a District Court, Municipal Court, Superior Court, or an appellate

court, who has been a judicial officer at the time of the adoption of this rule for less than

four (4) years but has not attended the Washington Judicial College, shall attend and complete

the Washington Judicial College program within twelve (12) months of the adoption of this rule.

(c) Accreditation. The CEC shall, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court, establish

and publish standards for accreditation of continuing judicial education programs and may

choose to award continuing judicial education credits for self-study or teaching. Continuing

judicial education credit shall be given for programs the CEC determines enhance the knowledge

and skills that are relevant to the judicial office.

(d) Compliance Report. Each judicial officer shall file a report with the Administrative

Office of the Courts (AOC) on or before January 31 each year in such form as the Administrative

Office of the Courts shall prescribe concerning the judicial officer’s progress toward the

continuing judicial education requirements of sections (a) and (b) of this rule during the previous

calendar year. If a judicial officer does not respond by January 31, their credits will be confirmed

by default. Judicial officers who do not have the requisite number of hours at the end of their

three-year reporting period will have until March 1 to make up the credits for the previous

three-year reporting period. These credits will not count toward their current three-year

reporting period. The AOC shall publish a report with the names of all judicial officers who do

not fulfill the requirements of sections (a) and (b) of this rule. The AOC report shall be

disseminated by means that may include, but are not limited to, publishing on the Washington

Courts Internet web site, publishing the information as part of any voter’s guide produced by or

under the direction of the AOC, and releasing the information in electronic or printed form to

media organizations throughout the Washington State.

(e) Delinquency. Failure to comply with the requirements of this rule may be deemed a

violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct that would subject a judicial officer to sanction by the

Commission on Judicial Conduct.

(f) Definition. The term "judicial officer" as used in this rule shall not include judges pro

tempore but shall otherwise include all full or part time appointed or elected justices, judges,

court commissioners, and magistrates.