Judicial Performance Evaluation in the States

It has been nearly fifty years since the first state judicial performance evaluation (JPE) program was instituted in Alaska. Since then, nearly twenty states have implemented or experimented with official JPE programs.

This white paper served as a foundational resource at IAALS' 2022 JPE 2.0 convening and is a primer on:

• The general purposes of JPE
• The history of JPE programs
• The various evaluation criteria used in JPE programs
• The evaluation tools in JPE programs
• The evaluation procedures of JPE programs
• The varying perspectives on JPE
• Issues in the realm of JPE warranting focused consideration going forward

An appendix to the white paper offers an in-depth overview of JPE programs around the country, including details on how they are authorized, their goals, committee composition, participating judges, frequency, and public dissemination.