Judicial Ethics – Public Trust in the Courts

One of the foundations of democracy is a judicial system that fairly and impartially enforces the rule of law. Acceptance of the work of the judiciary rests on public trust promoted by public trials, the right to counsel, written opinions and orders, impartial juries, the correction of errors through appellate review, and critically, the impartiality and independence of the judges who preside over legal proceedings. Judicial codes of ethics are one means of assuring the latter qualities. While these codes add additional safeguards to protect the public, some on both sides of the political spectrum question their effectiveness. Perhaps the most glaring question has been the lack, until very recently, of a code applicable to the United States Supreme Court. Judge Jed Rakoff, with 28 years of experience as a federal district court judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, will explore the role of codes of judicial ethics generally and the significance of the Supreme Court’s adoption for the first time in its institutional history of its own code of conduct -- with serious limitations.