Authority of Chief Justice to promote judicial accountability and fair and accessible justice services; rules

(1) In the exercise of administrative authority and supervision over the courts of this state, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has the authority to take actions and establish rules that promote judicial accountability and fair and accessible justice services, consistent with the mission of the state courts, including the ability to establish: (a) Judicial education requirements to strengthen the skills, resilience and performance of the members of the Judicial Conference of the State of Oregon; (b) An ombudsman’s office within the office of the State Court Administrator to receive and respond to comments and concerns regarding court experiences; (c) Rules and standards governing the resolution of concerns regarding judicial performance; (d) Individualized action plans applicable to judges, including mandatory plans of education, coaching or mentoring; and (e) Rules regarding the availability or confidentiality of information obtained or generated by the ombudsman’s office. (2) Nothing in this section prevents the Chief Justice or any other individual from referring a matter to the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability.