The Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics responds to written inquiries from New York state's approximately 3,600 judges and justices, as well as hundreds of judicial hearing officers, support magistrates, court attorney-referees, and judicial candidates (both judges and non-judges seeking election to judicial office). The committee interprets the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct (22 NYCRR Part 100) and, to the extent applicable, the Code of Judicial Conduct. The committee consists of 27 current and retired judges, and is co-chaired by the Honorable Margaret Walsh, a justice of the supreme court, and the Honorable Lillian Wan, a court of claims judge and acting supreme court justice.

Digest: On these facts, a town justice in a town encompassing a village with its own court may not allow the town court clerk to simultaneously serve as clerk to the village police, where (a) the two courts share the same justices and courtroom and (b) the clerical staffs share the same telephone and service window, interact throughout the work day, and cover for each other.

Rules: 22 NYCRR 100.2; 100.2(A); 100.3(C)(2); Opinions 16-142; 13-43; 10-154; 10-20; 01-43; 99-159; 98-59; 97-111.