Judicial sabbatical program

(a) Objective

Sabbatical leave is a privilege available to jurists by statute. The objective of sabbatical leave is to facilitate study that will benefit the administration of justice and enhance judges' performance of their duties.

(b) Eligibility

Any judge is eligible to apply for an unpaid sabbatical under Government Code section 68554.

(c) Application

(1) Judge may apply for a sabbatical by submitting a sabbatical proposal to the Administrative Director with a copy to the presiding judge or justice.

(2) The sabbatical proposal must include:

(A) The beginning and ending dates of the proposed sabbatical;

(B) A description of the sabbatical project, including an explanation of how the sabbatical will benefit the administration of justice and the judge's performance of his or her duties; and

(C) A statement from the presiding judge or justice of the affected court, indicating approval or disapproval of the sabbatical request and the reasons for such approval or disapproval, forwarded to the Executive and Planning Committee with a copy to the judge.

(d) Review of applications

The Executive and Planning Committee will make recommendations to the Judicial Council regarding sabbatical requests, with support from the council's human resources staff.

(e) Evaluation

(1) The Administrative Director must forward all sabbatical requests that comply with (c) to the Executive and Planning Committee.

(2) The Executive and Planning Committee must recommend granting or denying the sabbatical request after it considers the following factors:

(A) Whether the sabbatical will benefit the administration of justice in California and the judge's performance of his or her duties; and

(B) Whether the sabbatical leave will be detrimental to the affected court.

(f) Length

Unpaid judicial sabbatical taken under Government Code section 68554 may not exceed one year.

(g) Ethics and compensation

A judge on unpaid sabbatical leave is subject to the California Code of Judicial Ethics and may receive compensation and reimbursement for expenses for activities performed during that sabbatical leave as provided in canon 4H of the Code of Judicial Ethics.

(h) Retirement and benefits

A judge on unpaid sabbatical leave under Government Code section 68554 receives no compensation, and the period of absence does not count as service toward retirement. The leave does not affect the term of office.

(i) Judge's report

On completion of a sabbatical leave, the judge must report in writing to the Judicial Council on how the leave benefited the administration of justice in California and on its effect on his or her official duties as a judicial officer.