Committee On Judicial Ethics

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

October 24, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A part-time judge may participate in (1) a county or local task force formed as part of the New York State Climate Smart Communities program and (2) their municipality's strategic investment committee.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

6 minute read

October 23, 2023 | New York Law Journal

May a part-time town justice maintain concurrent full-time employment with the Unified Court System in another county, as a Court Assistant?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

October 22, 2023 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge (1) may serve as co-chair of the ACACIA Network, a not-for-profit social services organization, provided the judge does not serve in a court that makes referrals to the organization, but (2) may not serve on a bar association committee on corrections and community reentry on the facts presented.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

8 minute read

October 19, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Is a town justice disqualified from presiding over matters in which the town is represented by a law firm that employs the judge's first-degree relative as an associate?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

October 18, 2023 | New York Law Journal

Where a housing court judge, who is a shareholder and proprietary lessee in a cooperative apartment building, learns that the building's board of directors has hired a new management company that manages many other properties that are located in the jurisdiction of the judge's court: (1) The judge is not disqualified from presiding in matters where the managing company appears before the judge, but must disclose the relationship on the record.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read