Code of Conduct for United States Judges Back to Outline

Compliance with the Code of Conduct Compliance with the Code of Conduct

Anyone who is an officer of the federal judicial system authorized to perform judicial functions is a judge for the purpose of this Code. All judges should comply with this Code except as provided below.

(A) Part-time Judge

A part-time judge is a judge who serves part-time, whether continuously or periodically, but is permitted by law to devote time to some other profession or occupation and whose compensation for that reason is less than that of a full-time judge. A part-time judge:

(1) is not required to comply with Canons 4A(4), 4A(5), 4D(2), 4E, 4F, or 4H(3);

(2) except as provided in the Conflict-of-Interest Rules for Part-time Magistrate Judges, should not practice law in the court on which the judge serves or in any court subject to that court's appellate jurisdiction, or act as a lawyer in a proceeding in which the judge has served as a judge or in any related proceeding.

(B) Judge Pro Tempore

A judge pro tempore is a person who is appointed to act temporarily as a judge or as a special master.

(1) While acting in this capacity, a judge pro tempore is not required to comply with Canons 4A(4), 4A(5), 4D(2), 4D(3), 4E, 4F, or 4H(3); further, one who acts solely as a special master is not required to comply with Canons 4A(3), 4B, 4C, 4D(4), or 5.

(2) A person who has been a judge pro tempore should not act as a lawyer in a proceeding in which the judge has served as a judge or in any related proceeding.

(C) Retired Judge

A judge who is retired under 28 U.S.C. § 371(b) or § 372(a), or who is subject to recall under § 178(d), or who is recalled to judicial service, should comply with all the provisions of this Code except Canon 4F, but the judge should refrain from judicial service during the period of an extrajudicial appointment not sanctioned by Canon 4F. All other retired judges who are eligible for recall to judicial service (except those in U.S. territories and possessions) should comply with the provisions of this Code governing part-time judges. A senior judge in the territories and possessions must comply with this Code as prescribed by 28 U.S.C. §§ 373(c)(5) and (d).

 

Bluebook Citation

Code of Conduct for United States Judges. § , (Texas Center for Legal Ethics, 2024) from https://legalethicstexas.com/resources/rules/code-of-conduct-for-united-states-judges/compliance-with-the-code-of-conduct/ (last visited Apr 24, 2024)