2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5209

5209. District Judicial Committee. Charges against a person under district jurisdiction shall be heard and determined by a district judicial committee, appointed by the district board of administration for that particular matter. District judicial committees also are appointed for matters involving a local church or other unit (see 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5310).

(1) A district judicial committee shall consist of four ordained ministers and three lay covenant members, appointed by the district board of administration (Disc. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:40), as the occasion may arise, from among its own members or the members of the district, and the district board of administration may request the General Superintendent to appoint a general official as one member. In any case, the General Superintendent shall be notified of the hearing. Members of the district board of review may not serve as members of the district judicial committee. The committee shall serve from the time of its appointment until it shall hear and resolve the accusation.

(2) The district board of administration shall appoint the chair or may request the General Superintendent to do so. The chair of the district judicial committee shall preside over the hearing and shall conduct it according to this General Board Policy for Church Discipline and Ministerial Restoration (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5020–5068) and The Discipline.

(3) It shall be the duty of the district judicial committee to hear and determine the charges, to render a verdict declaring the accused, either guilty or not guilty and to recommend the discipline (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5023; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5212; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5215), if any, to be imposed by the district board of administration. A two-thirds majority vote of all members of the district judicial committee shall be required for a verdict of guilty. The discipline may take the form of admonition, rebuke, suspension, removal or dismissal, and said board may also require apology or restitution.

(4) The accused may appeal the verdict and/or discipline to the district board of review within thirty days (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5062–5068; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5221).