First Adopted: October 27, 1992
Most Recently Effective: November 15, 2019
Rule 18 | Rules Governing The Missouri Bar and the Judiciary | Municipal Judge Continuing Education Requirements and Nonlawyer Certification
18.05 | Continuing Judicial Education Requirements
(a) Each non-lawyer municipal judge shall complete and report, during each reporting year, a total of at least 15 credit hours of accredited programs, seminars, and activities. On or before June 30, 2020, and every year thereafter:
(1) at least three of the total 15 credit hours must be devoted exclusively to accredited ethics programs, seminars, and activities, including professionalism, substance abuse, mental health, legal or judicial ethics, malpractice prevention, explicit and implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency programs, seminars, and activities; and
(2) at least one of the three ethics credit hours required under Rule 18.05(a)(1) must be devoted exclusively to explicit or implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency.
Failure to meet these requirements may result in referral to the commission on retirement, removal and discipline.
(b) Lawyer municipal judges, subject to the provisions of Rule 15, shall complete five credit hours of accredited programs, seminars, or activities under this Rule 18. Such credit hours completed pursuant to this Rule 18.05(b) may be used to fulfill the requirements of Rule 15. Lawyer municipal judges shall report CLE hours to The Missouri Bar in accordance with and subject to Rule 15.
Failure to meet these requirements may result in referral to the commission on retirement, removal and discipline.
(c) A non-lawyer municipal judge completing more than 15 hours of accredited programs and activities during one reporting year may receive credit in the next succeeding reporting year for the excess credit hours not to exceed 15 credit hours.
A lawyer municipal judge completing more than five credit hours of accredited programs and activities during one reporting year may receive credit in the next succeeding reporting year for the excess credit hours not to exceed five credit hours.
(d) Within 12 months after beginning service as a municipal judge, the judge shall complete a course of orientation training accredited by the committee. The course shall be repeated if the judge ceases being a judge for at least 24 months before again becoming a judge. A non-lawyer municipal judge is not required to complete or report any credit hours in excess of those awarded for such orientation training in the reporting year in which the judge initially begins service.
(e) A non-lawyer judge may submit a written application to the committee and, for good cause shown, the committee may grant waivers or extensions of time of the credit hours or reporting requirements of this Rule 18 in individual cases involving hardship or extenuating circumstances. Lawyer judges are subject to the requirements of Rule 15 to request a waiver or extension.
(Adopted October 27, 1992, effective July 1, 1993. Amended February 3, 1995, effective January 1, 1996; July 12, 2001, effective September 1, 2001; amended April 26, 2005, effective January 1, 2006; amended May 5, 2009, effective July 1, 2009; amended November 14, 2011, effective January 1, 2012; amended June 30, 2019, effective July 1, 2019; amended November 15, 2019, effective November 15, 2019.)
Regulations for Continuing Legal Education
Regulation 18.05 | Accreditation of Programs, Seminars, Activities, and Sponsors
(a) Programs, seminars, activities, and sponsors already accredited pursuant to Rule 15 are also considered accredited for purposes of this Rule 18 if the content is applicable under this Rule 18. No additional reporting or recordkeeping is required of the sponsor.
(b) The committee shall, upon application by a sponsor or a municipal judge, accredit those programs, seminars, and activities that qualify for credit under this Rule 18.
(c) Accreditation Process.
(1) Any sponsor not already accredited pursuant to Rule 15 and desiring approval of an individual program, seminar, or activity must apply to the committee for identified sponsor status not later than 60 days prior to the date the program, seminar, or activity is scheduled. Application shall be on forms provided by the committee.
(2) Any municipal judge may seek accreditation of a program, seminar, or activity offered by a sponsor other than an accredited sponsor. The judge should make application either before the occurrence of the program, seminar, or activity or within 30 days of the completion of the program, seminar, or activity. Application shall be on forms provided by the committee.
(3) The committee shall advise the applicant in writing within 60 days of the receipt of the application whether the application has been approved or disapproved.
(4) The committee may waive the application deadlines in this Regulation 18.05 upon good cause shown.
(5) Each sponsor accredited under Regulation 18.05(c) shall retain records of attendance at all programs, seminars, and activities for at least three years after the date of completion of the program, seminar, or activity. A record of attendance by an individual municipal judge shall be made available to the judge, his or her attorney, or the committee upon request.
(6) Unless otherwise directed by the Court, the files, records, and proceedings relating to continuing legal education requirements of this Rule 18 shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except to the municipal judge affected upon written request of the judge or his or her attorney.
(Regulation approved August 30, 1993, effective August 30, 1993. Amended July 12, 2001, effective September 1, 2001; amended November 15, 2019, effective November 15, 2019.)