Mass. Code Jud. Conduct Application

History

Comment [1] A judge who has retired or resigned from judicial office shall not, for a period of six months following the date of retirement, resignation, or most recent service as a retired judge pursuant to G. L. c. 32, §§ 65E - 65G, perform dispute resolution services with a court-connected program except on a pro bono publico basis, or enter an appearance, or accept an appointment to represent any party, in any court of the Commonwealth. [2] Judges should be aware that their conduct prior to assuming judicial office may have consequences under the lawDefinitionIncludes court rules and standing orders issued by the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, the Chief Justice of the Trial Court, or a Chief Justice of a Trial Court Department, as well as statutes, constitutional provisions, and decisional law. Chapter 268A §§ 3 and 23(b)(2) provide that conduct explicitly recognized by another statute or regulation may supersede certain provisions of Chapter 268A. The Rules of the Supreme Judicial Court are considered regulations for this purpose. In several instances, provisions of this Code supersede provisions of Chapter 268A. See Rule 1.1.. See, e.g., G. L. c. 211C, § 2(2), Rule 2.11(A)(4). [3] This Code does not apply to judicial applicantsDefinitionAny person who has submitted an application for appointment as a judge in any court of the Commonwealth. See Rule 2.11. and judicial nomineesDefinitionAny person who has been nominated by the Governor to judicial office but who has not assumed judicial office. See Rule 2.11. . Historically, by Executive Order, the Governor of the Commonwealth has created a code of conduct for judicial applicants and judicial nominees. [4] An active judge who becomes an applicant or candidate for a different judicial office, state or federal, must comply with the requirements of any appointing authority in addition to this Code. Adopted October 8, 2015, effective January 1, 2016