Section 9a.

(1) A judge of the court of appeals, a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of claims, a surrogate, a special surrogate, a judge of the court of general sessions of the county of new York, a county judge, a special county judge or a justice of a city court of record may be removed or retired also by a court of the judiciary. The court shall be composed of the chief judge of the court of appeals, the senior associate judge of the court of appeals and once justice of the appellate division in each department designated by concurrence of a majority of the justices of such appellate division. In the absence, inability or disqualification of the chief judge of the court of appeals or of the senior associate judge of that court, the court of appeals shall designate a judge or judges from the court of appeals to act in his or their stead.
(2) No judicial officer shall be removed by virtue of this section except for cause or be retired except for mental or physical disability preventing the proper performance of his judicial duties, nor unless he shall have been served with a statement of the charges alleged for his removal or the grounds for his retirement, and shall have had an opportunity to be heard.
(3) The trial of charges for the removal of a judicial officer or of the grounds for his retirement shall be had before a court on the judiciary. The affirmative concurrence of not less than four members of the court shall be necessary for the removal or retirement of a judicial officer. The court in its discretion may suspend a judicial officer from the exercise of his officer pending the determination of the proceedings before the court. The action of the court shall not extend further than to removal from office, or removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any public office of honor, trust or profit under this state, or to retirement for disability; but any judicial officer whose removal is sought shall be liable to indictment and punishment according to law. A judicial officer retired for disability in accordance with this section shall thereafter receive such compensation as the legislature may provide.
(4) The chief judge of the court of appeals may convene the court on the judiciary upon his own motion, and shall convene the court upon written request by the governor or by the presiding justice of any appellate division or by a majority of the judicial council or a majority of the executive committee of the New York state bar association thereunto duly authorized. The chief judge of the court of appeals shall act as the presiding officer of the court but in the absence, inability or disqualification of the chief judge, the senior associate judge of the court of appeals sitting on the court shall act as the presiding officer. After the court on the judiciary has been convened and charges of removal have been preferred against a judicial officer, the presiding officer of the court shall give written notice to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly of the name of the judicial officer against whom such charges have been preferred, of the nature of the charges and the date set for the trial thereof which date shall not be less than sixty days after the giving of such notice. Immediately upon receipt of such notice the legislature shall be deemed to be in session for the purpose of this proceeding.
(5) In the events that any member of the legislature shall, within thirty days after receipt of said notice, prefer the same charges against the judicial officer and such charges are entertained by a majority vote of the assembly the court on the judiciary shall be stayed pending the determination of the legislature, which shall be exclusive and final. But a proceeding by the court on the judiciary for the retirement of a judicial officer for mental or physical disability preventing the proper performance of his judicial duties shall not be stayed.
(6) The court shall have power (a) to designate in each case involving a judicial officer an attorney or attorneys at law to act as counsel to conduct the proceeding; (b) to summon witnesses to appear and testify under oath and to compel the production of books, papers, documents and records before such counsel in advance of the trial and before the court upon the trial; © to make its own rules and regulations concerning the procedure to be adopted for the investigation and trial of a judicial officer; (d) to grant immunity from prosecution or punishment when the court deems it necessary and proper in order to compel the giving of testimony under oath and the production of books, papers, documents and records, and (e) shall have such further powers and the legislature may from time to time confer upon it.
(7) The judges and justices while exercising the powers of a court on the judiciary shall serve without additional compensation, but the legislature shall provide moneys by appropriation to meet the expenses of the court.