Committee On Judicial Ethic

July 21, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge who assumes judicial office on an apparently unequivocal campaign pledge to incarcerate offenders, exclude drug dealers from the community, ensure maximum sentencing of repeat offenders, and protect victims of domestic violence, thus effectively promising to aid law enforcement rather than apply the law neutrally and impartially in such matters, is disqualified during his/her entire judicial term from: (1) all criminal cases; (2) cases in any court involving allegations of domestic violence; (3) all Vehicle and Traffic Law matters; and (4) cases in any court involving purported drug dealers. Disqualification on this ground is not subject to remittal.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

July 18, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A part-time attorney judge need not disclose or disqualify in matters involving the sheriff's office, merely because the judge's law firm is representing first-degree relatives of the county sheriff in a personal legal matter.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

July 17, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A town justice who was previously a non-supervisory police officer in certain local police departments is not disqualified on that basis from cases involving those police departments, provided the judge (1) had no personal involvement in the matter before him/her and (2) can be fair and impartial.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

July 16, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may not accept an invitation as a keynote speaker for an event sponsored by a law center that is engaged in matters of substantial public controversy and whose mission focuses on supporting core political and executive branch functions.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

July 15, 2024 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time judge's court attorney, who is serving on a community advisory board for a local hospital, serve on the advisory board's legislative committee, which "is tasked with maintaining relations with elected officials and city agencies that interact with NYC Health + Hospitals"?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

July 14, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A town justice is disqualified, subject to remittal, in matters involving a deputy sheriff after the deputy has been elected to the town board.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 11, 2024 | New York Law Journal

May a judge with relevant personal knowledge provide an affirmation of good moral character on behalf of a first-time applicant for admission to the bar?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 10, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A judge may preside over Article 75 proceedings challenging employment arbitration awards, where the state agency employer was previously represented in-house by the judge's law clerk's spouse, but the judge must insulate the law clerk and make appropriate disclosures.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 09, 2024 | New York Law Journal

Once a judge and their spouse jointly hire a law firm to mediate their divorce negotiations, the judge is disqualified, subject to remittal, in all matters where the law firm appears. This obligation lasts while the mediation relationship is ongoing and for two years after the mediation relationship completely ends and all fees are paid.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

July 08, 2024 | New York Law Journal

A new full-time judge may retain the lease of the office previously used for the judge's solo legal practice, where the lease is in the name of the judge and not the law firm under which the judge was doing business.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read