R597-3-1. Evaluation Cycles

  (1) Subject to R597-3-1(3), the evaluation cycles for judges not serving on the supreme court include:

  (a) the midterm evaluation cycle, beginning upon the appointment of the judge or on the first Monday in January following the retention election of the judge and ending on September 30 of the third year preceding the year of the judge's next retention election; and

  (b) the retention evaluation cycle, beginning the day after the midterm evaluation cycle is finished and ending on September 30 of the year preceding the year of the judge's next retention election.

  (2) Subject to R597-3-1(3), the evaluation cycles for justices serving on the supreme court include:

  (a) the initial evaluation cycle, beginning upon the appointment of the justice or on the first Monday in January following the retention election of the justice and ending on September 30 of the seventh year preceding the year of the justice's next retention election;

  (b) the midterm evaluation cycle, beginning the day after the initial evaluation cycle is finished and ending on September 30 of the third year preceding the year of the justice's next retention election; and

  (c) the retention evaluation cycle, beginning the day after the midterm evaluation cycle is finished and ending on September 30 of the year preceding the year of the justice's next retention election.

  (3) The commission will not conduct evaluations during the first six months of the retention evaluation cycle, in order to allow judges time to incorporate feedback from midterm evaluations into their practices.