Be the Change

The ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct describes outreach as proper and valuable work for judges promoting public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary.2 Further, the code dictates that judges should participate in activities that promote ethical conduct among judges and lawyers, support professionalism within the judiciary and the legal profession, and promote access to justice for all,3 and should initiate and participate in community outreach activities for the purpose of promoting public understanding of and confidence in the administration of justice.4 Judges are uniquely qualified to engage in extrajudicial activities that concern the law, the legal system, and the administration of justice, such as by speaking, writing, teaching, or participating in scholarly research projects. Why is public buy-in so important? Because promoting trust and confidence in our judicial system is crucial to maintaining public confidence in our decision-making ability, improving public loyalty to our civic process, ensuring compliance with our orders and decisions, and increasing perceptions of equal access and equal justice. [...]outreach can help us recognize, challenge, or even alter our implicit biases. [...]increased interaction with lawyers and other members of our communities can help our judicial temperament.