§ 31.7. Credit for CJE Activities.
(a) Accreditation or Approval. Credit will be given only for completion of CJE activities which are accredited or approved by the Board.
(b) Course Length. No course of instruction less than sixty (60) minutes shall be considered eligible for CJE credit.
(c) Credit. One (1) hour of credit will be awarded for each sixty (60) minutes of instruction.
(d) Credit Increments. Credit will be recorded in thirty (30) minute increments beyond the first sixty (60) minutes. One-half hour credit shall be awarded for courses scheduled at least thirty (30) minutes but less than sixty (60) minutes beyond the initial sixty (60) minutes and for each half hour scheduled thereafter.
(e) Approval of CJE Activities Conducted by Non-accredited Providers, Alternative Education Activities, and Teaching Activities.
(i) General Statement. Courses offered by a provider which is not an accredited continuing judicial education provider, Alternative Education Activities, and teaching activities which harmonize with the scope and purposes of this chapter may qualify for CJE credit, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(ii) Individual Approval Required. All CJE activities conducted by a provider which has not been accredited by the Board, alternative education activities and teaching activities must be individually approved by the Board for credit.
(iii) Requests for Approval. A Judge should request Board approval for continuing judicial education activities conducted by a non-accredited provider, alternative education activities, or teaching activities sixty (60) days prior to the activity, but in all events a Judge must request such approval no more than thirty (30) days after completing the activity in order for the request to be considered.
(iv) Form of Application. The application shall be in the form and with such documentation required by the Board.
(v) Additional Information. Upon request by the Board, the applicant shall submit to the Board information concerning the course or activity, including the brochure describing the activity and the qualifications of anticipated speakers, the method or manner of presentation of materials, and, if requested, a set of the materials.
(vi) Courses Pertaining to Non-Judicial Subjects. If a course does not bear entirely on judicial ethics or judicial practice, or the method of presenting the course is below minimum standards, the Board may determine that such course is entitled to no credit or may assign such partial credit as it deems appropriate.
(vii) Teaching Activities. The following additional terms and conditions apply to credit for teaching activities:
1. Credit will be given on the basis of two hours credit for each hour of presentation where the applicant has prepared quality written materials for use in the presentation.
2. Credit for repeat presentations or presentations without such written materials will be given only for the actual time of presentation.
(f) Excess Credits for Judicial Ethics. CJE credits for judicial ethics in excess of the annual requirement may be applied toward remaining annual CJE requirements.
(g) Carry Forward Credits. A Judge may carry forward a balance of credit hours in excess of the current annual CJE requirement-including satellite, computer based and distance learning credits, which shall retain their character as such-for the succeeding reporting year, subject to the following terms and conditions.
(i) Credit Limitation. No more than one (1) times the current annual CJE requirement may be carried forward into the succeeding reporting year.
(ii) Time Limitation. No CJE credit may be carried forward more than one (1) succeeding reporting year.
(iii) Credit Attributes. Carry forward credits retain the same attributes (judicial ethics, distance learning, etc.) which they would have had if used in the year in which they were earned.
(h) Local Education Activities
(i) Approval. Local education activities will be subject to approval by the Board for credit upon submission of appropriate documentation.
(ii) Accreditation. Local education programs may be accredited by the Board according to the standards set forth and upon submission of appropriate documentation.
(i) Teleconferences, Electronic Presentations and Distance Learning Programs. Computer based and distance learning programs may be approved for CJE credit providing they meet interactive, technical and accreditation standards set forth by the Board. Seminars viewed at remote sites by electronic transmission will receive credit if a moderator is present or available for interaction.
(j) Law School and Graduate Level Courses. Law school and graduate school courses may qualify for CJE credit, computed in accordance with these standards, subject to the following terms and conditions:
1. Courses must otherwise qualify for credit, and the law school or graduate level courses in question cannot be required to qualify for the awarding of a basic degree.
2. Courses offered towards graduate or advance degrees may receive credit, upon submission of appropriate documentation to the Board.
3. One (1) hour of CJE credit may be given for each approved graduate credit hour awarded by the school (or the non-credit equivalent).
4. The school offering the course shall be a law school accredited by the American Bar Association or college or university accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education or other regional equivalent.
(k) Self-Study. Self-study will not be approved for credit.
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