STATE OF IDAHO JUDICIAL BRANCH
Supreme Court

Judicial Performance Evaluation Program

The Idaho Courts Judicial Performance Evaluation Program is part of an overall effort to support excellence in judicial performance through education, training, and evaluation. 

Beginning in 2017 one third of the judges in Idaho will be evaluated each year with each new judge being evaluated at approximately nine and eighteen months after the beginning of their first term on the bench and every third year thereafter. 

Judicial Performance Evaluation Feedback Survey 

The judicial performance evaluation survey is an evaluative tool designed to provide confidential feedback to the judge for use in assessing areas of potential self-improvement.  The surveys are designed to gather frank, constructive feedback for the judge regarding recent work performance. 

Attorneys who have appeared before the judge during the previous 12 months will be asked to evaluate the judge’s performance in the following four specific areas as well as broader overall feedback:

• ·         Legal skills
• ·         Fairness and impartial decision-making
• ·         Listening and communication skills
• ·         Case management skills

Court professionals are defined as court administrators, court assistance officers, bailiffs, probation officers, interpreters, and any other personnel who are frequently in a judge’s court. Court professionals who have worked for or with the judge will be asked to evaluate the judge’s performance in the following four specific performance areas as well as broader overall feedback:

• ·         Fairness and impartial decision-making
• ·         Listening and communication skills
• ·         Case management skills
• ·         Teamwork and leadership skills 

Results of the Feedback Survey

Survey responses are compiled and a report is provided to the judge that provides a comprehensive but anonymous picture of how attorneys and court professionals view the judge’s recent performance. The judge does not receive any information about who was invited to participate or submitted a survey.  No record is retained that links submitted survey data to a respondent’s name; all responses will be compiled into a report for the judge being evaluated. No electronic or hard copies of the report will be retained.

Focus on Self-Improvement

With its stated goal of judicial self-improvement, the judicial evaluation program is not a tool for discipline of judges based on allegations of ethical violations, performance issues, or any other criteria.  Disciplinary concerns should be directed to the Idaho Judicial Council. No information from the confidential performance evaluation surveys is provided to the Idaho Judicial Council.  Except for potential action by the District Magistrate Commission during a new magistrate’s probationary period, no action will be taken respecting any individual judge as a result of the judicial performance evaluation.

If you have any questions about the Judicial Evaluation Program, please contact Andrea Patterson at (208) 947-7437 or [email protected].