Judicial Misconduct More than any other branch of government, the judiciary is b

Judicial Misconduct More than any other branch of government, the judiciary is built on a foundation of public faith, they make rulings on the law. Rulings that the people must believe came from competent, lawful and independent judicial officers. Judicial misconduct comes in many forms and ethical standards address problematic actions, omissions and relationships that deplete public confidence. Common complaints of ethical misconduct include improper demeanor; failure to properly disqualify when the judge has a conflict of interest; engaging in ex parte communication and failure to execute their judicial duties in a timely fashion. Behavior outside of the courtroom can also be at issue. Judicial conduct oversight should not attempt to regulate purely personal aspects of a judge’s life. However, a judge can commit misconduct by engaging in personal behavior that calls their judicial integrity into question. This is true even if the same behavior would merely be considered unwise for the average citizen. As the saying goes, the robe magnifies the conduct. Obvious examples are violations of criminal law, sexual misconduct with staff/attorneys/parties, joining discriminatory organizations and using the judicial position to enhance a private interest. Corruption in the justice system – whether actual or perceived – poses a real threat to confidence in the rule of law. (Sachar, D. (2022). Judicial Misconduct and Public Confidence in the Rule of Law, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Retrieved from https://www.unodc.org/dohadeclaration/en/news/2019/08/judicial-misconduct-and-public-confidence-in-the-rule-of-law.html)