The Denver Gazette: Colorado judges who face formal charges of misconduct would face a public trial rather than a secret one, which has been the norm for decades, according to a number of sweeping preliminary recommendations made Wednesday by an interim legislative committee reviewing changes to judicial discipline.

Other changes recommended by the committee of eight legislators include the creation of a three-person panel to oversee that trial – a judge, a lawyer and a member of the public – and that any level of public or private discipline to a judge must be disclosed to the committees reviewing a judge’s performance for voter retention or considering their nomination to a higher bench.

Currently, a three-judge panel is chosen by the Supreme Court to adjudicate the charges levied against a judge and the commissions on judicial performance review and judicial nomination generally don’t know of a judge’s discipline record before making recommendations to voters or the governor.

Visit The Denver Gazette for more.