The Supreme Court on Monday issued a formal code of conduct for itself, after months of criticism from liberal advocates targeting some of the conservative members of the bench and accusing them of unprofessional relationships with billionaires.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a formal code of conduct for itself after months of criticism from liberal advocates targeting some of the conservative members of the bench and accusing them of unprofessional relationships with billionaires.
In a 15-page press release, the nine justices said they follow certain requirements for recusal — such as not sitting on a case in which a relative or spouse is involved. They said they have always followed rules similar to other federal courts, but the justices decided to put it on record to avoid criticism.
“The absence of a code … 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,” the statement said. “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.”
Justices will recuse if there’s a financial interest in the outcome of a case or if they had any prior involvement in the litigation before joining the bench.
They should also avoid political activity and follow the Judicial Conference regulations on gifts and financial disclosure.
The justices can provide consultation in public hearings and speak, write and teach on matters related to the law. They can also be reimbursed and given just compensation, per the code.
Ilya Shapiro, director of Constitutional Studies at the Manhattan Institute, said the code should quell some of the recent criticisms hurled at the high court.
“As the justices’ statement notes, this doesn’t really change how they operate but should be a confidence-building measure for the public. It surely won’t satisfy left-wing activists and their political avatars like Sen.
