Committee On Judicial Ethics

July 29, 2021 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time judge, who is also a poet by avocation, share their poetry at free online creative arts panels, organized by non-commercial entities, and accept an honorarium from them?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 29, 2021 | New York Law Journal

A judge who authorizes or knowingly permits their name to appear on a publicly circulated nominating petition as a candidate for nonjudicial office is a "candidate" under the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct and thus must resign from judicial office. If the judge does not wish their name to appear on the nominating petitions, the judge must object in writing to the appropriate political party leaders.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 28, 2021 | New York Law Journal

A full-time judge may serve as president of a not-for-profit organization that supports a branch of the United States military through education, community outreach, and youth programs and by providing programs and services for certain military personnel and their families.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

4 minute read

July 28, 2021 | New York Law Journal

A judge may accept or reject plea dispositions but, in doing so, may not adopt a broad policy that omits individualized determinations.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

July 27, 2021 | New York Law Journal

May a judge permit their court attorney, a former assistant district attorney, to work on certain criminal cases that originated in the District Attorney's office during the court attorney's tenure? In one instance, the court attorney made a single appearance in the case, while in the other, the court attorney had absolutely no involvement.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

3 minute read

July 27, 2021 | New York Law Journal

A judge, whose spouse had brought a now-settled personal injury action on behalf of their minor child against a city municipality and its education agency must make full disclosure in cases where the municipality or any of its agencies is a party for two years from the date the court signs the settlement order. However, the judge need not disclose in mental hygiene hearings where a city hospital is represented exclusively by outside counsel.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

7 minute read

July 22, 2021 | New York Law Journal

Subject to generally applicable limitations on campaign speech and conduct, a judicial candidate may permit their campaign committee to establish a Twitter account for campaign purposes and use it to "follow" the judge's election opponent and/or other candidates on Twitter during the window period.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 22, 2021 | New York Law Journal

May a full-time judge serve on a municipal community board?

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

2 minute read

July 21, 2021 | New York Law Journal

(1) A judge may solicit other judges to join, or renew their memberships in, a local bar association, but may not similarly solicit attorneys or other non-judges. (2) A full-time judge may not serve on the board of directors of a not-for-profit senior housing development that is likely to regularly engage in adversarial litigation in any court.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read

July 21, 2021 | New York Law Journal

A judge need not disqualify from matters involving an attorney acquaintance, merely because the attorney is the child of the judge's spouse's deceased former spouse, where the judge's spouse and the attorney treat each other as acquaintances rather than family.

By Committee on Judicial Ethics

5 minute read