Committee On Judicial Ethics

December 18, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge may mentor applicants seeking to obtain a nomination to one of the nation's military service academies.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

December 17, 2023 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time judge accept an invitation to speak before a class at a public college on matters of civil law, including the trial process, evidentiary considerations and pitfalls, and the judge's journey to the law and the bench?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

December 14, 2023 | New York Law Journal

May a part-time town justice accept employment as a security guard/usher for university sports games in a neighboring county?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

December 13, 2023 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time judge appear in a short documentary film by a non-profit filmmaker about a state statute, describing their work with a judicial association in support of that statute's adoption?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

December 12, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Subject to limitations on price and number of tickets, a candidate for election to judicial office may pay the lowest price offered to the general public, even if specially discounted tickets are made available to district leaders.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

December 11, 2023 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time judge serve on the board of directors of two local not-for-profit organizations: 1) [City] Partners in Education, which "partners with students to ensure they are ready for, enroll in, and complete college" and "does not engage with the Courts at all" and 2) Cluster, Inc., which provides, among other programs, community mediation services including in small claims court?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

December 10, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A family court judge may enter into a memorandum of understanding with an agency that provides a "safe haven" facility for free supervised visitation and safe exchange of children, where the agreement sets forth a general expectation that (1) the court will continue to make referrals as needed in appropriate cases and (2) the judge and court staff will participate in giving and/or attending appropriate domestic violence training along with a wide variety of other signatories. As the agreement does not purport to mandate specific training programs, the judge must exercise discretion and participate only when doing so will not create an appearance of impropriety or raise reasonable questions about the judge's impartiality.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

December 07, 2023 | New York Law Journal

(1) A judge who is concerned about violations of property maintenance regulations in the judge's neighborhood may publicly express the judge's personal views as a private citizen whose personal interests are affected by the lack of zoning enforcement, including at a public meeting of the city council or in a letter to the editor. (2) On these facts, the judge may also draw on the judge's prior experiences as a city prosecutor and a city court judge to propound suggestions to the mayor and city council about how the local court could address these quality-of-life issues, but should not refer to the judge's present judicial status in doing so.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

December 06, 2023 | New York Law Journal

(1) A full-time judge who learns that a law firm's website advertises its experience appearing before particular judges, and hosts individual biographical pages for those judges on its own website in a format that combines the judges' information with the solicitation of business, must request in writing that the firm take down these biographical pages and remove the associated links. (2) On these facts, reporting is not mandated; any exercise of the judge's disciplinary functions is left to the judge's sole discretion.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

December 05, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A judge who concludes there is a substantial likelihood that an attorney sought to compromise a criminal prosecution for personal financial gain must report that attorney to the grievance committee.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read