Committee On Judicial Ethic

November 08, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A judge may continue to be a life member of the National Rifle Association.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

9 minute read

November 06, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A new full-time judge asks several questions arising out of their recent employment with a law firm partly owned by their spouse and their earlier employment with a different law firm.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

November 05, 2023 | New York Law Journal

May a part-time attorney judge practice before a full-time court attorney referee in Family Court?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

November 02, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A judge who is an officer of a magistrates association may invite the prosecutors, defense counsel, probation and various law enforcement and county agencies to attend and speak at monthly magistrates association meetings where no pending or impending matters are discussed. Any portion of the meeting when magistrates association's business is discussed or transacted should be private, outside the presence of such outside attorneys and agencies.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

November 01, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A part-time town justice, who is a high school teacher, may comment in the classroom on a pending or impending case arising in another jurisdiction. The judge may not reference specific cases in the judge's court unless and until those cases are completely resolved, including any appeals that are pending. However, if students ask about matters relating to a pending or pending case in the judge's court, the judge may respond by guiding a discussion that seeks to examine all sides of any issue without offering a personal opinion or predicting how the matter should or will be decided.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

October 31, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge may create and participate in a series of non-commercial podcasts to highlight individuals whose accomplishments have had an inspirational and positive impact on the community, subject to generally applicable limitations on judicial speech and conduct. To avoid any possible perception that the judge intends to lend judicial prestige to the individuals the judge selects to interview, the judge should not refer to their judicial status in connection with the podcast.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

October 30, 2023 | New York Law Journal

(1) A part-time town justice may appear as assigned counsel in another county, or before non-lawyer judges or full-time judges in the same county, and may submit vouchers for assigned counsel work already completed.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

October 29, 2023 | New York Law Journal

(1) A full-time city court judge whose part-time co-judge is an assistant county attorney need not recuse from cases in which other attorneys from the county attorney's office appear, provided that the co-judge has had absolutely no involvement in the matter. (2) A full-time city court judge may accept an appointment by the city to serve on the board of a not-for-profit organization that receives state funding to rehabilitate blighted properties, provided the organization is not likely to appear in the judge's court or to be engaged regularly in adversary proceedings in any court.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

October 26, 2023 | New York Law Journal

(1) A full-time judge may assist a not-for-profit organization in developing a training program designed to educate medical professionals, first responders and others on assessing, evaluating and responding to domestic violence situations, provided the program and participants are not so imbalanced as to cast doubt on the judge's impartiality. (2) The judge may also participate in presenting the training, provided the panels on which the judge serves are "balanced" and the judge abides by generally applicable limitations on judicial speech and conduct, including the public comment rule.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

October 25, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge whose former client has discharged initial successor counsel and retained entirely new counsel may meet with the new attorneys and the former client to discuss records relating to the former representation, but must not offer legal or tactical advice.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read