Commission Bylaws
Preamble
On October 4, 1990, the Supreme Court established the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission to identify problems and make recommendations to ensure fair and equal treatment in the state courts for all parties, attorneys, court employees and other persons. The Commission was created (1) to examine all levels of the state judicial system in order to particularly ensure judicial awareness of issues affecting persons of color in the judicial system in order to achieve a better quality of justice; and (2) to make recommendations for improvement to the extent it is needed.
ARTICLE I
Purpose
1.1 Consistent with the Preamble herein, the Minority and Justice Commission exists to foster and support a fair and bias-free system of justice in the Washington State courts and judicial systems.
1.2 To that end, the Commission is charged with identifying bias of racial, ethnic, national origin and similar nature that affects the quality of justice in Washington State courts and judicial systems.
1.3 The Commission shall take affirmative steps to address and eliminate such bias, and shall take appropriate steps to prevent any reoccurrence of such bias.
1.4 In furtherance of these principles, the Commission shall work collaboratively with the other Supreme Court Commissions and other justice system partners.
ARTICLE II
Membership
2.1 The Minority and Justice Commission is co-chaired by a Supreme Court Justice, designated by the Chief Justice.
2.2 The other co-chair is a Member Chair of the Commission, who shall be elected from the thirty-five (35) Commission members by a majority either when the Commission is renewed by order of the Supreme Court or upon resignation of the Member Chair (Co-chair).
2.3 The Commission shall consist of thirty-five (35) active members, all of whom shall be appointed by the Washington State Supreme Court. This active membership shall seek to include representation of judicial officers from all levels of Washington courts, and shall include representation from the tribal courts.
2.3.1 Commission membership shall consist of additional representatives from the Washington State justice systems, and no less than one representative from one of the designated minority bar associations.
2.3.2 Commission membership will also consist of non-lawyer representatives from the general population. These representatives shall be members of the public with a variety of skills who fully embrace the Commission goals and principles.
2.3.3 Commission membership shall reflect racial, ethnic, gender, cultural, geographic, and other appropriate diversity.
2.3.4 All AOC staff on or assigned to the Commission shall be considered ex officio members. They will not be included in the count of the 35 active members.
2.3.5 The Commission may designate at least one student from each of the three Washington State law school as student liaison members. These members may participate in the discussions and projects of the Commission but are non-voting Commission members. The law school members are not subject to the tenure and other membership guidelines of Section 2.4 - 2.7.
2.4 Attendance at meetings is expected. If a member misses three (3) consecutive meetings, he or she will be deemed to have resigned from the Commission, unless meetings were missed due to unavoidable or unplanned reasons (such as illness or injury). If a Commission member knows in advance that she or he is unable to attend three (3) consecutive meetings for any reason, he or she shall notify the Commission Chairs and tender his or her resignation. The Commission Chairs have discretion to choose to accept or decline the resignation. A member may be excused from attending a meeting for good cause, upon approval by one of the Co-chairs.
2.5 All appointments of the thirty-five (35) members, with the exception of the Minority Bar Association (MBA) representative, shall be for a four (4) year renewable term. Vacancies shall be filled by the Supreme Court upon recommendations made by the Commission. The MBA position shall be for a term of two (2) years, and shall be a rotating position amongst the different MBAs.
2.7 All members must participate on at least one (1) of the Standing or Ad Hoc committees.
ARTICLE III
Standing Committees
3.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of the Commission co-chair(s) and chair(s) of each Standing committee.
3.2 The Commission co-chair(s) shall appoint such Standing committees as the work of the Commission shall reasonably require.
3.3 The Commission co-chair(s) shall appoint a chair or co-chairs for each Standing committee, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Chair(s).
ARTICLE IV
Ad Hoc Committees
4.1 The Commission Chair(s) may appoint such Ad Hoc committees as the work of the Commission shall from time-to-time require. The Commission Chair(s) shall appoint a chair for such ad hoc committees from among the Commission members, but may staff these committees with non-Commission members, with the advice and consent of a majority of the quorum present when such appointments are made.
ARTICLE V
Quorum
5.1 A quorum shall consist of fifty (50) percent plus one or more of the thirty-five (35) Commission members. Vacancies shall not be considered. A member participating in a meeting by teleconference, video conference, or other electronic means approved by the Commission shall be counted in the determination of the quorum.
5.2 Commission action shall be by majority vote of the thirty-five (35) Commission members present or participating by teleconference, video conference, or other electronic means approved by the Commission, so long as a quorum is present.
5.3 In the absence of a quorum at a regularly scheduled meeting, the Commission Chair or Co-chair or Executive Committee may take contingent action on business the Chair(s) determine to require action by the Commission prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting.
5.4 No proxy voting shall be allowed.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
6.1 The executive director or designee of the Commission shall serve as recording secretary for the Commission.
6.2 Commission meetings should be held at least six (6) times a year. The precise number of and any additional meetings may be scheduled or specially called at the discretion of the Commission Chair(s). Reasonable notice shall be given to each member. Participation in meetings of the Commission may be held by teleconference, video conference, or other electronic means approved by the Commission. The Commission Chair or Co-chairs may designate Commission sponsored events as meetings.
ARTICLE VII
Special Funding
7.1 In addition to such funding as shall be available through the AOC budgeting process, the Commission is authorized to seek and accept funding through appropriate processes and from appropriate sources to carry out Commission projects and purposes. Any funds so obtained shall be administered under proper auditing controls by AOC.
ARTICLE VIII
Amendments to Bylaws
8.1 These bylaws may be amended by majority vote at any regular or special Commission meeting at which a quorum is present. Advance notice of any proposed Amendment is required.
8.2 No motion or resolution for amendment may be considered at the meeting at which said proposed amendment is initially proposed.
Adopted: August 12, 2010
Amended: July 15, 2011 & November 2, 2013 & February 5, 2016
Adopted: March 21, 2014
