Ethics
Promoting confidence in the courts & legal profession
For decades, we've equipped state conduct commissions with research and training that support their work investigating complaints of judicial misconduct. Our resources provide insights on the makeup of state conduct commissions, how they conduct their business and what types of sanctions they issue or recommend. We also share guidance on current ethics issues facing the judiciary and courts.
Understanding governance
One size doesn't fit all when it comes to the structure and responsibilities of judicial conduct commissions in the U.S. Our online tool helps you easily identify how judicial conduct is handled in your state and across the country.
Emerging ethical considerations for AI
Gain insights on core ethical issues related to AI and learn how to develop an AI ethics infrastructure to ensure technologies are used ethically and responsibly.
Latest guidance & issues
Discover the latest ethics conversations related to topics like recusals, conflict of interest, financial disclosures, AI, and more.
AI-generated evidence: a guide for judges
Ethics & social media: what judges need to know
Judges' use of social media can enhance community engagement, but they must exercise caution to avoid breaching the American Bar Association's Model Code of Judicial Conduct and their state's specific rules, as online activities, even those intended personally, can potentially compromise judicial integrity due to perceptions of bias or impropriety.
Ethics & gifts: perception counts
A 2024 article published by the National Center for State Courts' Judicial Conduct Reporter underscores the importance of impartiality and public perceptions of impropriety in judicial ethics, citing several case studies that showed how acceptance of gifts or transactions with litigants could lead to disciplinary actions, breaches of trust, and raised doubts about a judge's independence.
Tap into our expertise
We offer a variety of services to meet your ethics needs, ranging from reviewing and updating codes of conduct to developing and delivering training to judges and commission members.
