Patricia Saint James, a partner with the Boston, MA law firm of Tarlow Breed Hart & Rodgers, P.C., has been appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct (CJC), the state agency responsible for investigating complaints alleging that a state court judge has engaged in judicial misconduct or has a disability preventing him or her from properly performing judicial duties. Attorney Saint James was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Trial Court and will serve a six-year term as one of the Commission’s three lawyer members.

The mission of the Commission on Judicial Conduct is to enforce standards of judicial conduct for Massachusetts state judges in a manner that, while respecting judicial independence, promotes public confidence in the judiciary and preserves the integrity of the judicial process. The Commission serves as the forum for complaints alleging misconduct by judges both on and off the bench, and for allegations of mental or physical disability affecting a judge’s performance. The CJC is also responsible for pursuing, when it is appropriate, remedial action or discipline against state court judges. The Commission is made up of three judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court, three attorneys appointed by the Chief Justice of the Trial Court, and three lay people appointed by the Governor.