(B) Judge as Candidate for Nonjudicial Office. (ii) the parties or controversy in the proceeding. The text of the rules is intended to govern conduct of judges and candidates for elective judicial office and to be binding upon them. Such information related to a chief district judge should be called to the attention of the chief circuit judge.). (G) Practice of Law. A judge should not act as an arbitrator or mediator or otherwise perform judicial functions apart from the judges official duties unless expressly authorized by law. (d) A judge, with the consent of the parties, may confer separately with the parties and their lawyers on agreed-upon matters. A judge may, however, act pro se and may, without compensation, give legal advice to and draft or review documents for a member of the judges family. When a judge determines that an organization to which the judge belongs engages in invidious discrimination that would preclude membership under Canon 2C or under Canons 2 and 2A, the judge is permitted, in lieu of resigning, to make immediate and continuous efforts to have the organization discontinue its invidiously discriminatory practices. (S) An "independent" judiciary is one free of outside influences or control. L. 93512 substituted Disqualification of justice, judge, magistrate, or referee in bankruptcy for Interest of justice or judge in section catchline, reorganized structure of provisions, and expanded applicability to include magistrates and referees in bankruptcy and grounds for which disqualification may be based, and inserted provisions relating to waiver of disqualification. A judge shall not testify voluntarily as a character witness. . This Canon generally prohibits a judge from mediating a state court matter, except in unusual circumstances (e.g., when a judge is mediating a federal matter that cannot be resolved effectively without addressing the related state court matter). This provision does not prevent a judge from engaging in activities described in Canon 4. Jan. 1, 1996. Except as set out below, a judge should not initiate, permit, or consider ex parte communications or consider other communications concerning a pending or impending matter that are made outside the presence of the parties or their lawyers. (g) shall file with the Ethics Commission for the Unified Court System a financial disclosure statement containing the information and in the form set forth in the Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure adopted by the Chief Judge of the State of New York. This provision shall apply to all candidates for elective judicial office in the Unified Court System except for town and village justices. A judge should discourage a party from requiring the judge to testify as a character witness except in unusual circumstances when the demands of justice require. (E) "Fiduciary" includes such relationships as executor, administrator, trustee, and guardian. (5) A judge should not disclose or use nonpublic information acquired in a judicial capacity for any purpose unrelated to the judges official duties. A judge may serve as the executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, or other fiduciary only for the estate, trust, or person of a member of the judges family as defined in Canon 4D(4). (f). (G) "Law" denotes court rules as well as statutes, constitutional provisions and decisional law. 3, 1911, ch. The changing nature of some organizations and their exposure to litigation make it necessary for a judge regularly to reexamine the activities of each organization with which the judge is affiliated to determine if the judges continued association is appropriate. Canon 4B. Other relevant factors include the size and nature of the organization and the diversity of persons in the locale who might reasonably be considered potential members. A judge should neither engage in, nor tolerate, workplace conduct that is reasonably interpreted as harassment, abusive behavior, or retaliation for reporting such conduct. . A judge may consult with or appear at a public hearing before an executive or legislative body or official: (a)on matters concerning the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice; (b)to the extent that it would generally be perceived that a judges judicial experience provides special expertise in the area; or. A judge shall conduct all of the judge's extra-judicial activities so that they do not: (1) cast reasonable doubt on the judge's capacity to act impartially as a judge; (2) detract from the dignity of judicial office; or. A judge should not testify voluntarily as a character witness. (ii) if the judge is a full-time judge, will be engaged regularly in adversary proceedings in any court. March 1987: deleted the word "Judicial" from the name of the Code; September 1992: adopted substantial revisions to the Code; March 1996: revised part C of the Compliance section, immediately following the Code; September 1996: revised Canons 3C(3)(a) and 5C(4); September 2000: clarified the Compliance section; March 2009: adopted substantial revisions to the Code; March 2014: revised part C of the Compliance section, which appears below, immediately following the Code; March 2019: adopted revisions to Canon 2A Commentary, Canon 3, Canon 3A(3), Canon 3B(4), Canon 3B(4) Commentary, Canon 3B(6), and Canon 3B(6) Commentary. (11) A judge shall not disclose or use, for any purpose unrelated to judicial duties, nonpublic information acquired in a judicial capacity. of this title relating to designation and assignment of judges. Code of Conduct for U.S. Rule 1.1 Rule 1.2 Rule 1.3 Rule 2.1 Rule 2.2 Rule 2.3 Rule 3.1 Rule 3.2 Rule 3.3 Rule 3.4 Rule 3.5 Rule 3.6 Rule 3.7 Rule 3.8 Rule 3.9 Rule 3.10 Rule 3.11 Rule 3.12 TABLE OF CONTENTS Oregon Code of Judicial Conduct 2013 Revision 33.2, filed Feb. 2, 1982; repealed, new filed Feb. 1, 1996 eff. Notwithstanding the foregoing, compliance with this subparagraph shall not be necessary where a judge or non-judge already is or was required to file a financial disclosure statement for the preceding calendar year pursuant to Part 40 of the Rules of the Chief Judge. A judge may act pro se in all legal matters, including matters involving litigation and matters involving appearances before or other dealings with governmental bodies. The following terms used in this Part are defined as follows: (A) A "candidate" is a person seeking selection for or retention in public office by election. (3) solicit funds for, pay an assessment to, or make a contribution to a political organization or candidate, or attend or purchase a ticket for a dinner or other event sponsored by a political organization or candidate. You are responsible for conducting yourself according to The Judicial Conference in 2023 "clarified" the disclosure rule to make plain that hospitality from a friend, unless it is at the friend's residence or family property, must be disclosed. 100.1 A judge shall uphold the integrity and independence . This prohibition applies to both professional and personal conduct. Oregon Code of Judicial Conduct (2013 Revision) Effective December 1, 2013 (This page intentionally left blank.) A judge or candidate for elective judicial office shall . L. 93512, 3, Dec. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. Conflicts of interest are likely to continue arising, and every vote is crucial on the closely divided North Carolina Supreme Court, which now has a 4-3 Democratic majority. (C) Judge's Staff. A judges appointees include assigned counsel, officials such as referees, commissioners, special masters, receivers, guardians, and personnel such as law clerks, secretaries, and judicial assistants. Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., 24 (Mar. 33.4, filed Feb. 2, 1982; repealed, new filed Feb. 1, 1996; amds. They should be applied consistently with constitutional requirements, statutes, other court rules and decisional law and in the context of all relevant circumstances. A judges assurance of confidentiality must yield when there is reliable information of misconduct or disability that threatens the safety or security of any person or that is serious or egregious such that it threatens the integrity and proper functioning of the judiciary. Canon 4. Historical Note (b) Expense reimbursement shall be limited to the actual cost of travel, food and lodging reasonably incurred by the judge and, where appropriate to the occasion, by the judge's spouse or guest. (1) any judicial or other proceeding, application, request for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim, controversy, investigation, charge, accusation, arrest or other particular matter involving a specific party or parties, and (2) any other matter covered by the conflict of interest rules of the appropriate government agency. Jan. 1, 1996. A judge should be sensitive to possible abuse of the prestige of office. Pub. A judge may solicit funds for such an organization from judges over whom the judge does not exercise supervisory or appellate authority and from members of the judges family. 1090). 2d 462 (1984). Nonpublic information may include but is not limited to: information that is sealed by statute or court order, impounded or communicated in camera; and information offered in grand jury proceedings, presentencing reports, dependency cases or psychiatric reports. A judge should not: (1) act as a leader or hold any office in a political organization; (2) make speeches for a political organization or candidate, or publicly endorse or oppose a candidate for public office; or. Code of Conduct for United States Judges Published Advisory Opinions The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized its Committee on Codes of Conduct to publish formal advisory opinions on ethical issues that are frequently raised or have broad application. Gift Article. The purpose of this site is to provide information from and about the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government. In light of these reports, the lawmakers are requesting that the IGs review their agencies' internal ethics policies and financial conflict of interest rules and provide recommendations on steps Congress and the executive branch can take to strengthen and improve ethics laws and rules. In the performance of these duties, the following standards apply. A judge shall perform the duties of judicial office . (F) Remittal of Disqualification. of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rules 206(4)-7 and 206(4)-8 thereunder. 51: Law Clerk Working on Case in Which a Party Is Represented by Spouse's Law Firm Application of the rules of judicial conduct. If, however, the demands on the person's time and the possibility of conflicts of interest are not substantial, such a person may continue to act, without compensation, as an executor, administrator, trustee, or other fiduciary for the estate or person of one who is not a member of the person's family if terminating the relationship would unnecessarily jeopardize any substantial interest of the estate or person and if the judicial council of the circuit approves. 100.3 A judge shall perform the duties of judicial office . . Amended 100.5 (A)(2)(v), (A)(4)(a), (A)(4)(d)(i)-(ii), (A)(4)(f), (A)(6), (A)(7) on Feb. 14, 2006, Deleted 100.5(A)(7) on May 7, 2019, effective May 6, 2019, Amended 100.5 (A)(4)(f) on January 13, 2020, effective January 31, 2020. (3) A judge should be patient, dignified, respectful, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity. Canon 2A. Conflict of Interest: Current Clients. . The provisions of this Part 100 are to be construed and applied to further that objective. . Nothing in this subparagraph shall prohibit a judge from being a speaker or guest of honor at a court employee organization, bar association or law school function or from accepting at another organization's fund-raising event an unadvertised award ancillary to such event; (1) ownership of an interest in a mutual or common investment fund that holds securities is not an economic interest in such securities unless the judge participates in the management of the fund or a proceeding pending or impending before the judge could substantially affect the value of the interest; (2) service by a judge as an officer, director, advisor or other active participant in an educational, religious, charitable, cultural, fraternal or civic organization, or service by a judge's spouse or child as an officer, director, advisor or other active participant in any organization does not create an economic interest in securities held by that organization; (3) a deposit in a financial institution, the proprietary interest of a policy holder in a mutual insurance company, of a depositor in a mutual savings association or of a member in a credit union, or a similar proprietary interest, is not an economic interest in the organization, unless a proceeding pending or impending before the judge could substantially affect the value of the interest; (4) ownership of government securities is not an economic interest in the issuer unless a proceeding pending or impending before the judge could substantially affect the value of the securities. (f) the judge, while a judge or while a candidate for judicial office, has made a pledge or promise of conduct in office that is inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of the office or has made a public statement not in the judge's adjudicative capacity that commits the judge with respect to A judge shall resign from judicial office upon becoming a candidate for elective nonjudicial office either in a primary or in a general election, except that the judge may continue to hold judicial office while being a candidate for election to or serving as a delegate in a state constitutional convention if the judge is otherwise permitted by law to do so. Such statement shall be filed within 20 days following the date on which the judge or non-judge becomes such a candidate; provided, however, that the Ethics Commission for the Unified Court System may grant an additional period of time within which to file such statement in accordance with rules promulgated pursuant to section 40.1(i)(3) of the Rules of the Chief Judge of the State of New York (22 NYCRR). Canon 3C(1)(d)(ii). Sec. (iii) may make recommendations to public and private fund-granting organizations on projects and programs concerning the law, the legal system or the administration of justice; and Whether an organization practices invidious discrimination is often a complex question to which judges should be sensitive. This provision does not prohibit a judge from holding membership in an organization that is dedicated to the preservation of religious, ethnic, cultural or other values of legitimate common interest to its members. A judge shall conduct the judges personal and extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with the obligations of judicial office. . . (C) A judge shall not lend the prestige of judicial office to advance the private interests of the judge or others; nor shall a judge convey or permit others to convey the impression that they are in a special position to influence the judge. Notwithstanding this prohibition, a judge may act pro se and may, without compensation, give legal advice to a member of the judge's family. A judge should not hold membership in any organization that practices invidious discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin.