Committee On Judicial Ethics

January 21, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A quasi-judicial official may not accept an offer to stay at the vacation home of an attorney who regularly appears before him/her.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

January 17, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge whose docket consists mostly of claims against the State of New York and medical malpractice cases asks if the judge may serve on the board of directors of a not-for-profit organization that provides services to high-risk individuals and families with behavioral health challenges. The organization is not engaged in proceedings that would normally come before the judge’s court, nor regularly engaged in adversarial proceedings in any court, and the inquirer believes that no court appointments are made to the organization or its programs.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

January 16, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A judge may attend the NAACP’s national convention as a member of the organization but (a) may not engage in any partisan political activity, (b) may not serve as a delegate or voting member or otherwise assume any leadership role, and (c) must not associate him/herself with organizational positions on matters of public controversy.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

January 15, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A town justice who is a notary public may notarize documents as part of his/her duties as appointed village treasurer, provided he/she does so strictly as a notary public without reference to his/her judicial title or status.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

January 14, 2025 | New York Law Journal

Where a not-for-profit entity engages in some activities clearly permissible for judges as well as some potentially controversial lobbying, advocacy, and litigation activities, a judge or quasi-judicial official may not participate in a voter hotline organized by that entity.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

January 13, 2025 | New York Law Journal

(1) Although a judge may not voluntarily provide a character reference at the request of the applicant for a pistol permit, a judge with relevant personal knowledge, who is not a firearm licensing officer, may permit the applicant to list the judge as a character reference in connection with his/her pistol permit application. Should the firearm licensing officer then choose to contact the judge for information about the applicant’s character, the judge may respond to the licensing officer’s questions based on personal knowledge. (2) A judge who is a firearm licensing officer may not authorize an applicant for a pistol permit to list him/her as a reference on their pistol permit application.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

January 10, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A judge may provide a loan to a friend who is seeking money to start a personal fitness business, where the loan will be repaid to the judge with interest and the judge will not be a partner in the business nor have an equity share or active participation in running the business as a director, manager, or advisor.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

January 09, 2025 | New York Law Journal

On the specific facts presented, a judge who is advised by the authorities that the judge’s adult child repeatedly invoked the judge’s name and judicial status in an effort to avoid arrest and criminal charges should notify the judge’s child in writing to cease using the judge’s name in such circumstances.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

January 08, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge who previously served as counsel to a town supervisor may sit in the “town part” of the judge’s court and preside over cases where the town attorney appears so long as there are no other conflicts of interest, and he/she can be fair and impartial.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

January 07, 2025 | New York Law Journal

A judge may serve on a judiciary-initiated committee to address jury diversification with a coalition of judges, court clerks, jury commissioners, prosecutors, defenders, and sitting legislators. However, the legislators should be advised not to use the names of judges or the fact of the judges’ participation for partisan political purposes.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read