Case Disposition Tables

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Case Disposition Tables

TABLE 1 Initial Inquiries, RFIs, Preliminary Evaluations

TABLE 2 Results of Commission Investigations

TABLE 3 Subjects of Informal Resolution

TABLE 4 Results of Public Disciplinary Cases

TABLE 5 Requests for Informal Guidance

Cumulative tables

TABLE 1
Initial Inquiries, RFIs, Preliminary Evaluations (2006-2010)

	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	Five-Year Total
Initial Inquires	469	498	462	453	417	2,299
RFIs	60	57	62	52	58	289
RFIs dismissed on preliminary evaluation 1	44	30	43	40	41	198
Investigations authorized 2	16	25	18	12	17	88
1 Includes RFIs carried over from the prior year and excludes those filed too late in the reporting year to be evaluated before December 31. 2 More than one RFI may be included in one investigation.

TABLE 2
Results of Commission Investigations (2006-2010)

	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	Five-Year Total
Dismissed, no action 1	8	8	12	6	6	40
Dismissed with letter of concern, etc.	6	9	1	5	3	24
Complaint filed in the Supreme Court	0	1	1	1	0	3
Total	14	18	14	12	9	67
1 Includes dismissals resulting from resignations.

TABLE 3
Subjects of Informal Resolution (1985-2010)

1.	Intemperate courtroom conduct (e.g., yelling, rudeness, inappropriate language)	46
2.	Ex parte or other improper communication	31
3.	Delay in performing judicial duties (e.g., in administering or deciding case, issuing show cause order in dormant estates, signing final order)	29
4.	Failure to disqualify or disclose facts relevant to appearance of partiality	23
5.	Abuse of or threat to abuse power (e.g., denied access to records or right to make record, retaliated against person who filed substitution request or cooperated with Judicial Commission, threatened to jail a person without legal authority to do so, abuse of summary contempt)	22
6.	Misuse of prestige of office	17
7.	Public comments on a pending case or prejudgment	10
8.	Inappropriate off-the-bench conduct	10
9.	Charitable or political fund-raising	6
10.	Active participation in criminal plea-bargaining	6
11.	Interfering with a party's right to appeal	3
12.	Appointing close relative to court position	3
13.	Partisan political activity	3
14.	Obstruction of justice	3
15.	Failure to address attorney misconduct	3
16.	Failure to timely file Trust Account Certification and pay State Bar dues	1
17.	Violation of gift rule	1
18.	Inaccurate or incomplete financial disclosure report	1
19.	Actively discouraging entry of not guilty pleas	1
20.	Accepting public official's plea in chambers	1
21.	Private use of public resources	1
22.	Name used to promote a private business	1
*Numbers in table do not correspond with number of informal resolutions or number of judges because many resolutions involved communication about more than one subject or type of conduct.

TABLE 4
Results of Public Disciplinary Cases (1978-2010)

Removal	3
Suspension	11
Statement of discontinuance after conflicting directives by WI Supreme Court	1
Reprimand	11
Complaint dismissed	3
Total	**29
**2 unpublished voluntary dismissals 1 unpublished removal

TABLE 5
Requests for Informal Guidance (2006-2010)

2006	261
2007	332
2008	327
2009	230
2010	257

Wisconsin Judicial Commission 110 East Main St. Suite 700 Madison WI, 53703 (608) 266-7637

e-mail: judcmm@wicourts.gov