District of Columbia Judicial Efficiency and Improvement Act of 1986

District of Columbia Judicial Efficiency and Improvement Act of 1986 - Amends the District of Columbia Code (the Code) to make the authority of hearing commissioners in the Superior Court permanent. Authorizes the chief judge of the Superior Court to appoint commissioners with the approval of a majority of Superior Court judges and pursuant to standards and procedures adopted by the Board of Judges. Establishes the qualifications required and tenure of commissioners. Sets forth the grounds on which commissioners may be suspended or removed by the Board of Judges.

Eliminates the requirement that the consent of the parties be obtained before a hearing commissioner determines conditions of release or conducts preliminary examinations or initial probation revocation hearings in criminal cases. Includes as functions of commissioners the establishment, enforcement, and modification of child support orders. Directs commissioners, after finding a duty of support and giving notice of that duty, to conduct a hearing, make findings, and enter a judgment. Authorizes judges to review commissioners' orders or judgments sua sponte, but requires such review upon a motion of one of the parties. Requires the chief judge of the Superior Court to study and report to the Congress within a year of the enactment of this Act regarding the use of hearing commissioners in the Superior Court.

Directs the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration to consider a candidate's experience and special training in administrative and executive positions and familiarity with court procedures in appointing an Executive Officer of the District of Columbia courts. Requires the Executive Officer to become a resident of the District.

Amends the District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act (the D.C. Reorganization Act) to extend the mandatory retirement age of judges of District of Columbia courts to age 74 (currently age 70).

Amends the Code to authorize the Register of Wills, rather than the Auditor-Master of the Superior Court, to audit and state fiduciary accounts.

Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to make such Act inapplicable to any judicial officer or employee of the District of Columbia court system.

Amends the Code to authorize the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to answer questions of law certified to it by the U.S. Supreme Court, a U.S. Court of Appeals, or the highest appellate court of any State if such questions of law meet specified criteria. Sets forth the procedures for the certification of questions of law. Authorizes the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to certify such questions of law to the highest court of any State.

Amends the D.C. Reorganization Act to make information, records, and other materials furnished to or developed by the Judicial Nomination Commission (Commission) in the performance of its duties privileged and confidential. Allows the meetings of the Commission to be closed to the public. Requires that the name of any individual recommended by the Commission be made public upon its submission to the President.

Amends the Code to authorize the Judicial Disabilities and Tenure Commission (Tenure Commission) to disclose, upon request, and on a confidential basis, otherwise privileged information to the Judicial Nomination Commission concerning any judge being considered for elevation to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals or for chief judge of a District of Columbia Court.

Amends the D.C. Reorganization Act to require judges of District of Columbia courts to file, with the Tenure Commission, their declaration of candidacy for reappointment at least six months (currently three months) before the expiration of their term. Requires the Tenure Commission to submit a written evaluation of the candidate's performance and fitness to the President at least 60 days (currently 30 days) before the expiration of the judge's term. Revises the nature of the Tenure Commission's finding necessary for a candidate's automatic reappointment.

Amends the Code to allow judges to request at any time prior to, but no later than one year after retirement (currently a judge has 180 days after retirement to make such a request) the recommendation of the Tenure Commission for appointment as a senior judge. Requires a senior judge who has not yet reached age 74 to be reviewed by the Tenure Commission every four years. (Currently, all senior judges are reviewed every two years.) Prohibits the annual earnings and retirement salary of a senior judge from exceeding the current annual salary of an active judge in the same court.

Amends the D.C. Reorganization Act to require the Judicial Nomination Commission to submit a list of candidates to the President for any vacancy on a D.C. court within 60 days (currently 30 days) of the occurrence of such vacancy.

Amends the Code to eliminate the cap on judicial salaries in the District of Columbia.

Removes the chief judge of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from the panel which selects the Board of Trustees of the Public Defender Service. Designates the chief judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals as the presiding officer of such panel.