Judicial ethics  judicial ethics: an overview   Disciplinary
actions for infractions of the rules of conduct by state judges
are typcially controlled by a state judicial commission. All
states have established such an agency or commission either by
statute or by amendment to the state constitution (see Arizona's
Article 6.1). Their responsibility is to deal with complaints of
judicial misconduct. Most were established during the past 30
years.  If a complaint directed to the judicial commission
passes the screening and deposition phases, it is investigated
and a trial-like hearing is instituted. Judicial committees
typically have the power to sanction a judge and to require a
judge to retire or resign. Some commissions, upon a plea of
guilty or no contest, are authorized to make a finding of
criminal guilt punishable as a felony under state or federal
law. In general, commission findings are appealable to state
courts.