In Re Complaint of Judicial Misconduct

Passing judgment on our colleagues is a grave responsibility entrusted to us only recently. In the late 1970s, Congress became concerned that Article III judges were, effectively, beyond discipline because the impeachment process is so cumbersome that it’s seldom used. See 126 Cong. Rec. S28091 (daily ed. Sept. 30, 1980) (statement of Sen. DeConcini). At the same time, Congress was aware of the adverse effects on judicial independence if federal judges could be disciplined by another branch of government using means short of impeachment. See S.Rep. No. 96-362, at 6 (1979), reprinted in 1980…