Committee On Judicial Ethic

November 26, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A judge need not disclose or disqualify from a case merely because a party's high-level employee, who will be present in the courtroom, also (1) was previously a client of the judge more than two years ago and (2) is married to a public official who was recently on the same slate as the judge and publicly endorsed the judge.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

November 23, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge may not request that federal and state legislators protect the power grids from electromagnetic nuclear attack, as this does not relate to the improvement of the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice, and does not involve an identified cognizable personal interest. Further, issues generated by the legislation the judge seeks could be controversial or political.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

November 21, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Where the inquiring judge's current law clerk was previously the longtime law clerk to another judge, who is now "of counsel" to a law firm but will work exclusively with one attorney and never appear in court: (1) The judge need not disqualify or disclose when the law firm colleagues of the ex-judge appear. (2) Whether the judge must insulate the law clerk from cases involving other attorneys from that firm is fact-specific, and depends on the nature of the relationship between the law clerk and the attorney who appears.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

November 20, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A part-time town justice may serve as a part-time assistant conflict defender in the county in which the judge's court is located.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

November 19, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A judge need not disqualify merely because an attorney in the case shares office space with the judge's attorney sibling, where the attorneys maintain separate and independent law practices and do not share support staff or letterhead or otherwise hold themselves out as associated in the practice of law.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

November 16, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A part-time judge may maintain employment in a child advocacy center within a law enforcement office in a county different from where the judge presides and may serve as treasurer of a volunteer fire department. We decline to comment on questions that are unduly speculative and hypothetical.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

8 minute read

November 15, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A city court judge need not object to a city police department's automated phone system which offers callers an opportunity to be transferred directly to the court clerk's general office line if they are calling about a court appearance, fine, disposition or court paperwork.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

November 14, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A judge, as the editor of a legal manual used by judges, court personnel, defense attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement and others, may dedicate the manual to "hard-working individuals that uphold our Criminal Justice System."

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

November 13, 2023 | New York Law Journal

The inquiring judge is the successor judge in a civil matter which was decided by another judge before their term ended.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

November 12, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Must a judge continue to insulate their law clerk from matters involving a law firm that previously represented the law clerk, and disclose the insulation, once the representation has completely terminated and all fees are paid?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read