Committee On Judicial Ethic

August 04, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may sign a family tree affidavit for the estate of the judge's long-time close friend, based upon facts within the judge's personal knowledge.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

August 01, 2024 | New York Law Journal

Where a retired judge's former law clerk worked for the inquiring judge in a limited capacity for four months before returning to private practice, the judge need not disclose or disqualify in matters involving the retired judge's former law clerk. The judge may also appoint the former law clerk as attorney for the child.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

July 31, 2024 | New York Law Journal

1) A part-time judge who is a private investigator (a) may conduct surveillance and write reports for school districts in another county concerning extended sick leave employees, but (b) may not conduct investigations for a college regarding allegations of sexual harassment/assault. (2) A part-time judge may, as an instructor for a private company, present training to law enforcement regarding implicit bias and other types of biases.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

July 30, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may not participate as a panelist in a bar association's Continuing Legal Education program about a recently settled civil action in which the judge presided, together with attorneys who appeared in the case, unless: (1) the time for appeals has expired; (2) no collateral proceedings are reasonably foreseeable; and (3) the panel includes attorneys from both the plaintiff's side and the defense side.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 29, 2024 | New York Law Journal

(1) A judicial candidate may use the ActBlue online payment system to purchase tickets to attend a variety of political fund-raising events within the applicable window period, subject to the usual limitations on price and number of tickets for each event. (2) The candidate must exercise caution to avoid adding an optional tip or agreeing to make a recurring payment, and should carefully review the online payment screen for any note or indication that a portion of their payment will be sent to additional recipients or used for a purpose other than the political event for which the candidate intends to purchase tickets.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

July 28, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A full-time court attorney-referee would like to return to the practice of law after retiring from the Unified Court System and asks if there are any judicial ethics impediments to doing so. The referee also asks about appearing before certain judges and receiving court appointments.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 25, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A full-time court attorney-referee asks if it is ethically permissible to purchase a home at a court-conducted auction or in an online auction, in a county different from the one where the referee works.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 24, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A part-time judge who serves as part-time counsel to a county legislature, representing the entire legislative body, may not ordinarily attend or participate in any caucus meetings. However, the judge may enter such meetings on an issue-by-issue basis to provide a legal opinion on a legal or procedural issue, provided the judge's activities are clearly identifiable as those of an attorney representing a client and not as partisan political activity.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

July 23, 2024 | New York Law Journal

The Chief Judge may, as the chief judicial officer of the Unified Court System, represent the judiciary's interests by accepting an invitation to speak at a legislative conference sponsored by a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity, at a specific session focused on the judiciary's operational needs and/or experience with respect to developing technologies. The judge may not otherwise attend or participate in the legislative conference.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

July 22, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may not stand for election to or serve on a local school board notwithstanding their child's attendance at a local public high school. The judge may attend and participate in school board meetings as the parent of a current student.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read