Rule 43.6.Mandatory Continuing Education Requirements for Assisting Superior Court Judges

Rule 43.6 addresses a specific gap: judges who normally sit on a different class of court but get appointed to help out on superior court matters under state law. Because their regular training is geared to their home court, not the superior court, the rule layers on an additional requirement once their assisting role crosses a threshold — more than fifteen days sitting as a superior court judge in a calendar year, or handling even one final hearing or a bench or jury trial in that capacity.

Once that threshold is met, the assisting judge must complete twelve hours of training each year focused specifically on the subject matter they are adjudicating as a superior court judge, not generic judicial education. The chief superior court judge of the circuit that issued the appointment carries the responsibility for providing or approving that training and confirming that every assisting judge in the circuit completes it.

This obligation stacks on top of whatever continuing education the assisting judge already owes their home court — it does not replace it. And it does not run on the honor system: completion has to be reported to and verified by the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education, giving the requirement the same kind of oversight the rest of the MCJE program carries.