The question is a difficult one. A judge has to avoid the appearance of impropriety. A judge certainly can’t show favoritism. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with courtesies between the bench and the bar. Courtesies don’t mean any sort of special consideration or favorable ruling. Courtesies are old-fashioned civility.
It does not appear to be improper or illegal for a district judge to call a lawyer who has outstanding warrants for traffic tickets or other speeding violations or parking tickets and just alert the lawyer to the fact that a bench warrant is being issued unless the lawyer comes in and pays the fines for the tickets or requests a hearing.
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