Promoting Civility and Professionalism in the Courtroom [Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of four articles from the Ethics and Professionalism Committee of the Indiana Judicial Conference. The author thanks and acknowledges the contributions of those who attended the session at the September 2010 Judicial Conference in Indianapolis and contributed to the “Best Practices” suggestions related here.] What sho … [Read more...] about Best Practices with “Rambo” Attorneys
Ethics
Disciplinary Responsibility of Judges and the Duty to Report Ethical Misconduct
Reporting the professional misconduct of a colleague or contemporary is never an easy task. For many judges, their most difficult duty may be deciding whether to report an ethical violation by another judge or an attorney. But, it also may be their most important. As a day-to-day observer of other judges and attorneys, judges often have the best vantage point to notice patterns of recurring ethical violations, to o … [Read more...] about Disciplinary Responsibility of Judges and the Duty to Report Ethical Misconduct
Ethical Considerations of Using Social Networking Sites
During the course of their professional lives, judges often have ethical questions about the application of the Code of Judicial Conduct to particular situations. Should a judge disqualify from a particular case? May a judge attend and participate in a specific fundraiser? What should a judge do about an ex parte communication that the judge just received? As Counsel to the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qua … [Read more...] about Ethical Considerations of Using Social Networking Sites
Social Media and the Employer
What is social media and why should a judge care about it as an employer? The term “social media” refers to the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives. Much of the time it is purely social, but it can also be used to establish business connections, make sales, and share community concerns. Social media takes many different forms, including text, i … [Read more...] about Social Media and the Employer
Judges: Selection, Conduct, and the Constitution
How we select our judges has been a hot topic in the last year. Hugh M. Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co., ___U.S. ____, 2009 WL 1576573 (June 9, 2009), is a case with facts reminiscent of a John Grisham novel. We watched with great interest as it wound its way through the appellate process. On June 9, the United States Supreme Court provided another factor to consider in the continuing debate over merit selection v … [Read more...] about Judges: Selection, Conduct, and the Constitution