Mid Level Evaluation Details
A judge is scheduled to receive a mid-level evaluation if they serve in at least one jurisdiction with a weighted caseload of .2 or higher and if they have fewer than 50 attorneys appear before them in the evaluation period.  JPEC gathers this data from the Administrative Office of the Courts.
A mid-level evaluation is different than the full time evaluation in that it does not depend on quantitative data from an electronic survey.  Because the mid-level judges generally have smaller caseloads or serve less than full time on the bench, JPEC administers an intercept survey on location with various court participants.
Intercept Survey
The intercept survey is a qualitative survey where any individual that was present in the courtroom of the judge that day is asked particular questions regarding the judge’s fair and equal treatment of all court participants. Â Court staff, litigants, victims, bailiffs, parents, etc… may all be intercepted by JPEC’s justice court analyst.
The justice court analyst gathers data multiple times for the same judge to ensure a broad number of voices are heard. Â The analyst then compiles the data gathered and creates a thematized overview of the judge’s performance.
Minimum Performance Standards
The minimum performance standards that mid-level judges are held to are:
- To participate annually in no less than 30 hours of continuing legal education
- To not exceed the time standards set by the Utah Judicial Council for timely ruling on cases take under advisement (UCJA Rule 3-101(3)).
- To not be the subject of more than one public reprimand issued by the judicial conduct commission or the Utah Supreme Court
JPEC gathers this information from the Administrative Office of the Courts
Public Comment
JPEC accepts public comments from the public and those comments are included in the mid-level evaluation report. Â Public input into the judicial process is important. Â If you or someone you know has had an experience with a judge that they would like to share with us, please urge them to do so via our public comments page.
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