<p>Judges are always on duty.</p>
<p>Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson stressed this fact during his final lecture as Jurist in Residence at Widener Law Commonwealth.</p>
<p>In his lecture,<em> Judging Judges: The State of Judicial Discipline</em> <em>in Pennsylvania,</em> Brobson talked about the high standards of integrity judges in the Commonwealth must exhibit.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Judges must uphold the dignity of office at all times. I am a judge 24/7. All judges have to approach their jobs that way,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Judges are held to the highest standard of conduct at all times -&nbsp; no matter if they are in the courtroom or on the baseball field.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Judges are held to a Code of Judicial Conduct which includes four canons that address judicial image, judicial behavior, off bench activities, and political and campaign activity. If a complaint about a judge is received it is reviewed by the Judicial Conduct Board. The mission of the board is to preserve the honor, dignity, independence and integrity of Pennsylvania&rsquo;s judiciary by promptly dismissing unfounded complaints and prosecuting founded complaints.&nbsp; Judge Brobson is a member of the Judicial Conduct Board.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Judicial Conduct Board receives about 800 complains a year and each complaint is researched and investigated thoroughly. If a complaint is unfounded it is dismissed.</p>
<p>The board consists of twelve members.&nbsp; Six are appointed by the governor and six are appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.&nbsp; Six of the board&rsquo;s members are not lawyers.&nbsp; The other six are lawyers and judges.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t break the laws or the canons,&rdquo; Brobson said. &ldquo;If a judge is responsible for enforcing the laws, then they should also comply with the laws.&rdquo;</p>