As of January 1, 2017, commissioned judges serving the Philadelphia Municipal Court, the Courts of Common Pleas, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and certified senior judges must complete a program of continuing judicial education.

The annual compliance deadline is December 31st.

Four (4) of the annual CJE requirement may be earned through CJE Board approved teaching or alternative education activities.

Four (4) of the annual CJE requirement may be earned through approved computer-based or distance education courses where a moderator is present and there is interactivity.

Judges must self-report using the appropriate CJE form within thirty (30) days of completing the activity.

A Judge may carry forward a balance of credit hours in excess of the current annual CJE requirement, including satellite, computer based and distance learning credits, which shall retain their character as such for the succeeding reporting year. No more than one (1) times the current annual CJE requirement may be carried forward into the succeeding reporting year. Carry forward credits retain the same attributes (judicial ethics, distance learning, AOPC/JED, etc.) which they would have had if used in the year in which they were earned. No CJE credit may be carried forward more than one (1) succeeding reporting year.

No

The Supreme Court's Order establishes AOPC/Judicial Education credits as distinct from those earned through the biannual meetings of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges or through other accredited providers. To assist AOPC/Judicial Education in further developing this aspect of the CJE program, we reached out to the nine law schools in the Commonwealth with the goal of involving the schools and their respective universities in a more formal partnership. At present, all nine law schools have agreed to partner with us in developing this aspect of the CJE program. We are making every attempt to develop programs that meet the varied needs of the judiciary and to make these programs regionally accessible. Available AOPC/JED Courses may be found in the course search section of this website. For your convenience, we have created a Quick Link section for the AOPC/JED Courses on the left side of the course search screen Each course developed through these partnerships will combine a multi-disciplinary approach with an adjudication exercise. The adjudication exercise is designed to illustrate how the issues arise in court and asks the jurist to make rulings at pivotal decision points. Each course will be presented live at one of the participating law schools and simulcast to other locations across the Commonwealth.

The site allows you to log in securely and access information, such as your CJE transcript and compliance status in real time. You are also able to use the website to search for upcoming CJE courses that are accredited by the CJE Board of Judges. In addition, in accordance with Section 12 of the Supreme Court's Order, the CJE Board must provide every judge with their preliminary compliance status three (3) months prior to the final day of the calendar year and a final compliance notice within 60 days from the end of the calendar year.

In accordance with Rule 604. (a) If, after notification by the Department that a judge has failed to comply with these rules, or is determined to be deficient in his or her CJE requirement, such judge shall be notified in writing by the Board or Department of the nature of such noncompliance, and shall be given one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the notice to remedy such noncompliance. (b) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of a notice of noncompliance, a noncompliant judge must provide evidence of compliance or request a hearing before the Board. (c) If, in response to a notice of noncompliance, a judge timely files a request for a hearing, the Board shall schedule a hearing pursuant to Rule 605. (d) If the Board finds that the judge had reasonable cause for noncompliance, the judge shall have one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of notice of the Board’s decision to correct the noncompliance. If compliance is not achieved without good cause shown within such period, the Board shall report the judge and the fact of the judge's noncompliance to the Supreme Court and to the Judicial Conduct Board. (e) If a judge has been found by the Board to be in noncompliance with these rules, before a judge may be deemed compliant, the judge must have satisfied any prior years of noncompliance, unless any period thereof has been subject to waiver, not to exceed two (2) years worth of credits. Curing noncompliance is in addition to any current year requirements. (f) Credit hours earned shall first be applied to satisfy the requirements of the compliance period which was the subject of the notice to the judge before any excess credits claimed may be applied to other requirements.

Rule 501(d) Judges Leaving Active Service. 1. General Rule. All judges must complete the CJE requirements for each year of active service. 2. Pro Rata Credits. When a judge leaves active service before the end of a full calendar year, CJE requirements shall be pro-rated as follows: i. if separation occurs after September 1, 12 credits: 3 of which must be ethics and 4 of which must be developed by or under the supervision of the Department; ii. if separation occurs between July 1 and August 31: 9 credits, 3 of which must be ethics and 3 of which must be developed by or under the supervision of the Department; iii. if separation occurs between April 1 and June 30: 6 credits; 2 of which must be ethics and 2 of which must be developed by or under the supervision of the Department; iv. if separation occurs before March 31, all CJE requirements for that calendar year shall be waived.