§ 8-16-8 - Discipline of judges upon indictment or conviction for a crime. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 8-16-8

   § 8-16-8  Discipline of judges uponindictment or conviction for a crime. – (a) The supreme court on its own motion shall suspend, pending the prosecutionof an appeal, any judge of any court when it is shown by the certified recordof a court of competent jurisdiction that he or she either pleaded guilty or nocontest or was found guilty of a crime punishable as a felony under the laws ofthis state, any other state, or the United States, or of any other crime thatinvolves moral turpitude. The suspension shall be without compensation, exceptwhere the judge involved is a justice of the supreme court. Whenever, uponappeal, the conviction is reversed, the suspension shall terminate and thejudge involved shall be paid the salary that would have been paid him or herduring the period of suspension.

   (b) Where, after an appeal, a conviction has become final,the judge involved shall be removed from office either by the supreme court inappropriate cases or, in the case of a justice of the supreme court, by actionpursuant to the provisions of § 8-16-7(b).

   (c) A judge is hereby disqualified and prohibited fromperforming his or her judicial duties while there is pending against him or heran indictment charging him or her with the commission of a crime punishable asa felony under the laws of this state, any other state, or the United States.The suspension shall be without loss of compensation.