Hot topic: Ethics

Bloomberg Law has Chief Justice Roberts Says He’s Committed to Highest Standards

Chief Justice John Roberts said he is “committed” to ensuring the Supreme Court adheres to the highest standards of conduct, even as some justices come under increased scrutiny by the public and Congress.

“I want to assure people I am committed to make certain that we as a court adhere to the highest standards of conduct,” Roberts said during remarks at an awards ceremony hosted by the American Law Institute. “We are continuing to look at things we can do practically to that effect.”

And Supreme Court Approval Slides Amid Thomas Ethics Controversies

Public confidence in the US Supreme Court slid amid a flurry of ethics controversies, including revelations that Justice Clarence Thomas got luxury vacations and other benefits from a Republican megadonor, according to a new Marquette Law School Poll.

The court’s approval rating fell to 41%, down six percentage points from January, the poll found. Only 25% of people expressed a great deal or a lot of confidence in the court, the lowest figure since polling began in 2019.

And Kagan Takes Small But Real Step Toward High Court Transparency -- Former deputy solicitor general of the US Philip Allen Lacovara says that Justice Elena Kagan made a small concession toward greater disclosure by providing the reason she recused from a case in the court’s weekly orders list.

And Law360 has a lesson in what not to write in an appellate brief, in Court Won't Review Atty's Penalty For Calling Judge 'Bitch'

One of those ethical violations was penning an off-color line in a 2013 brief to the Michigan Court of Appeals objecting to a state trial judge's ruling against him: "When the judiciary acts as the bitch for the complainant, we get rulings like this."

Lastly, in the "Apeal dismissed [sic]" category, see Painting Co. Can't Appeal After Sending Email 'Into The Abyss' about how sending a notice of appeal to "DOSHAApeals@Ini.wa.gov," leaving out a "p" in "Appeals" was ineffective, despite the filer's claim he is dyslexic and did not receive notice that his email was undeliverable. Lesson: Watch your "p"s...