Ethics

Judge resigns after this alleged response to uninvited party guests

A New York judge has agreed to resign and never against seek judicial office after she was accused of engaging “in a racially offensive, profane, prolonged public diatribe” stemming from a graduation party fight in which her son was injured.

Dec 23, 2024 11:20 AM CST

Chemerinsky: Supreme Court confirms conservative leanings in 2024, shows no signs of changing

The last year at the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed what has been clear since President-elect Donald Trump selected three justices between 2017 and 2020: It is a very conservative court. Those who are conservative celebrate this, and those who are liberal decry it. But no one disputes that when the court is ideologically divided, it is virtually always a 6-3 decision with a conservative result. This was certainly true in 2024, and it is likely to remain that way for many years to come.

Dec 23, 2024 8:46 AM CST

Does judge’s reference to ‘little Chinese woman’ show bias? Appellate concurrence sees ‘pure stereotyping’

A California judge who said he was almost amused when a “little Chinese woman” stared him down did not rule against her based on ethnic bias, but his comment was “pure stereotyping,” according to two concurring judges in an appellate opinion.

Dec 19, 2024 1:42 PM CST

Federal judge offers ‘unreserved apology’ after order says his Alito criticism violated ethics rules

Senior U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor of the District of Massachusetts is offering an “unreserved apology” and a commitment to “scrupulously avoid” future transgressions after he was found to have violated the judicial code of ethics for criticizing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in an op-ed in the New York Times.

Dec 18, 2024 12:09 PM CST

4th Circuit judge’s ‘unretired’ decision leads to ethics complaint by conservative group

A conservative group has filed a judicial misconduct complaint against a third judge who revoked plans to take senior status after it became clear that a successor would not be confirmed before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

Dec 17, 2024 3:25 PM CST

California judge admonished for doing this after telling newbie attorney to stop shaking her head

A California judge has received a public admonishment partly for flinging court papers at a newbie defense lawyer because he thought that she was shaking her head at him.

Dec 12, 2024 10:21 AM CST

Federal judge will no longer tolerate lawyers’ barbed briefs and ‘expletive-laden phone calls’

A federal judge in Seattle is fed up with "hyperbole and bluster" in a lawsuit alleging that State Farm failed to pay full policy benefits to homeowners after a house fire.

Dec 12, 2024 9:00 AM CST

Prosecutor who sent nude photos to federal judge ‘felt trapped,’ thought she had no choice, cited letter says

An assistant U.S. attorney in Alaska said she felt “completely powerless” when then-U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Kindred of the District of Alaska asked for nude photos around the same time that he allegedly texted her about holding grudges and his power to help her win a nomination to the federal bench, according to documents unsealed Monday.

Dec 11, 2024 2:57 PM CST

Lawyers who critique critical race theory may challenge Connecticut’s anti-bias ethics rule, 2nd Circuit says

Two lawyers who fear their comments could lead to discipline under Connecticut’s anti-bias ethics rule have standing to sue, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

Dec 10, 2024 12:45 PM CST

Pilot project allowing nonlawyer legal providers gets OK in Washington

The Washington Supreme Court has authorized a pilot project that will allow nonlawyer entities to provide legal and law-related services in Washington.

Dec 9, 2024 11:13 AM CST

Judge gave ‘reasonable impression’ she was letting immigrant evade ICE, ethics charges say

A Massachusetts judge who allegedly gave a “reasonable impression” that she was allowing an immigrant to evade federal custody was “less than fully candid” when asked about the incident, according to an ethics complaint filed Monday.

Dec 5, 2024 12:52 PM CST

Judge with propensity for hugging workers said he had ‘loose screws’ in head after thwarted kiss, ethics complaint says

Updated: A judge in East Chicago, Indiana, who acknowledged routinely hugging court staff members is facing ethics charges that allege unwanted touching and inappropriate remarks.

Dec 4, 2024 3:11 PM CST

One justice was ‘especially vocal’ in opposition to enforcement mechanism for SCOTUS ethics code, report says

When the U.S. Supreme released its new ethics code in November 2023, critics complained that it relied on an “honor system,” rather than an enforcement mechanism.

Dec 4, 2024 10:44 AM CST

Judge acknowledged his ‘profane outburst’ shocked himself, Florida court says in imposing suspension

A Florida judge has been suspended partly for a “profane outburst” in which he used the F-word and called a man in his courtroom an “a- -hole.”

Dec 3, 2024 3:03 PM CST

Lawyer convicted of tampering with corpse has law license revoked at her request

A Florida lawyer who pleaded guilty to tampering with a corpse of a woman killed in Dallas has had her license revoked at her request.

Dec 2, 2024 3:34 PM CST