The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
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Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#2This is creating an internal struggle between the cynic in me vs the optimist in me. Will people rise above their self interest?
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#3The document itself: https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justi...
>For the most part these rules and principles are not new: The Court has long had the equivalent of common law ethics rules, that is, a body of rules derived from a variety of sources, including statutory provisions, the code that applies to other members of the federal judiciary, ethics advisory opinions issued by the Judicial Conference Committee on Codes of Conduct, and historic practice. The absence of a Code, however, has led in recent years to the misunderstanding that the Justices of this Court, unlike all other jurists in this country, regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules. To dispel this misunderstanding, we are issuing this Code, which largely represents a codification of principles that we have long regarded as governing our conduct.
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From a quick scan, I think the inclusion of spouses in some of the suggestions for recusal are probably among the most notable. Also:
>A Justice may attend a “fundraising event” of law- related or other nonprofit organizations, but a Justice should not knowingly be a speaker, a guest of honor, or featured on the program of such event. In general, an event is a “fundraising event” if proceeds from the event exceed its costs or if donations are solicited in connection with the event.
Is maybe interesting, especially re: Federalist Society and Leonard Leo.
At any rate, it says "should" and "may" rather than "must" so YMMV.
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#4[deleted]
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#5This is creating an internal struggle between the cynic in me vs the optimist in me. Will people rise above their self interest?
Not until we cure the societal ills that more or less force people to consider themselves above anything else.
So, probably not in our lifetimes
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#6Eh, if it doesn't have consequences it's a bit pointless.
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#7[flagged]
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#8[flagged]
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#9This is creating an internal struggle between the cynic in me vs the optimist in me. Will people rise above their self interest?
Not until we cure the societal ills that more or less force people to consider themselves above anything else. So, probably not in our lifetimes
Yeah, not with our culture. Things are likely to get worse until they collapse like empires usually do
Re: The US Supreme Court says it is adopting a code of ethics for the first time
#10This is a fine gesture, but it does not solve the fundamental problem that Supreme Court justices are an unelected super-government with lifetime appointments and zero accountability.
The whole institution is absurd and undemocratic and, as Clarence Thomas has proved [0], ripe with opportunities for corruption. A non-binding code of ethics doesn't change that.