Impeachment of Judicial Council Members.----1. General Provisions.----a) In a proceeding against a member of the Judicial Council based on one or more grievances, the member shall be presumed innocent until impeached.
b) A grievance against a member of the Judicial Council shall be in writing, stating the specifications (date, place, and specifics of the event alleged to have taken place), and the provisions of The Book of Discipline or Judicial Council Rules of Practice and Procedure violated, or other justifiable cause.
c) the grievance shall include with it any documents which verify it.
d) No grievance shall be considered for alleged actions occurring more than six years prior to the filing of the grievance.
2. Supervision.----a) The written grievance shall be forwarded to the accused member and to the general counsel of the General Council on Finance and Administration.
b) If the grievance is in order and not frivolous, the general counsel shall meet with the respondent and grievant and their counsels as soon as possible, preferably within 30 days of receiving the grievance, to discuss the complaint and seek resolution.
c) If that discussion does not resolve the matter, mediation shall be offered.
d) If the mediation fails, the general counsel has the discretion to drop the grievance or to pass it on for impeachment proceedings. The grievant and the respondent shall be notified immediately as to the decision.
3. Impeachment.----a) The grievance shall be forwarded to the chairperson of the Commission on the General Conference, who shall convene the commission within thirty days of receiving the grievance.
b) Copies of the grievance and of briefs from the parties at interest to the grievance shall be sent to all members of the Commission on the General Conference through the general counsel's office, with the notification of the impeachment hearing.
c) The chairperson shall provide opportunity for a full hearing for the grievant and the respondent together in the presence of the commission, making decisions on procedure, admissibility, and other typical functions expected of an impeachment hearing president.
d) Impeachment, meaning removal from office as a member of the Judicial Council, shall result from a two-thirds vote of commission members present.
4. Appeal.----a) A Judicial Council member who is impeached may appeal to the appellate committee of the jurisdictional or central conference of the church or conference of membership. That appeal shall be filed with the chairperson of the Commission on the General Conference and with the proper appellate committee within thirty days of the verdict. The appellate committee shall meet with the grievant and respondent and their counsels within sixty days of receiving the appeal. A majority vote shall determine the result.
b) The respondent may further appeal to the next General Conference session. If the General Conference overturns the impeachment by a majority vote, the member can be restored to complete his/her term of office or be elected for a new term, provided such election would not in any other way violate The Book of Discipline
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21553-GJ-2628-D
1996 United Methodist General Conference