H.R. 10390 — Judicial Conduct and Disability Reform Act of 2026

This section limits suspension orders barring case assignments to federal judges during misconduct proceedings. It requires a judicial council or the Judicial Conference to end the suspension, renew it for up to one year, or request voluntary retirement within one year of issuance, caps total suspensions at two years, and directs notification to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees when retirement is requested.

This section authorizes a chief judge or judicial council to request that the Chief Justice transfer a judicial misconduct proceeding under section 351 to the judicial council of another circuit, and requires such a request for any complaint against a circuit judge that the chief judge does not dismiss or conclude. The Chief Justice may approve the transfer or decline the request.

This section requires the judicial council to immediately provide written notice to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees of any action taken under subsection (a)(4).

This section revises procedures for review of judicial council actions on complaints of judicial misconduct or disability. It authorizes the Judicial Conference to review such actions under an independent judgment standard on issues of law, the definition of misconduct or disability, and the appropriateness of sanctions. It also provides limited court of appeals review, confined to constitutional questions, for suspension orders exceeding one year in cumulative duration, with venue selected by the Chief Justice outside the affected circuits, and precludes judicial review of all other orders.

This section requires a judge to disqualify himself or herself in any proceeding under this chapter in which the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

This section applies the amendments made by this Act to each complaint under chapter 16 of title 28, United States Code, filed or identified after the date of enactment, and to any suspension order in effect on that date.