First Adopted: July 20, 2011
Most Recently Effective: July 01, 2013
Rule 2 | Canon 2 | A Judge Shall Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially, Competently, and Diligently
2- 2. 2 | Impartiality and Fairness
(A) A judge shall uphold and apply the law, and shall perform all duties of judicial office promptly, efficiently, fairly and impartially.
(B) A judge may make reasonable efforts, consistent with the law and court rules, to facilitate all litigants, including self-represented litigants, being fairly heard.
Comment
[1] In disposing of matters promptly and efficiently, a judge must demonstrate due regard for the rights of the parties to be heard and to have issues resolved without unnecessary costs or delay. To ensure impartiality and fairness to all parties, a judge must be objective and open-minded.
[2] Although each judge comes to the bench with a unique background and personal philosophy, a judge must interpret and apply the law without regard to whether the judge approves or disapproves of the law in question.
[3] When applying and interpreting the law, a judge sometimes may make good-faith errors of fact or law. Errors of this kind do not violate this Rule 2-2.2.
[4] A judge may make reasonable accommodations to afford litigants the opportunity to have their matters fairly heard.
(Adopted July 20, 2011, effective January 1, 2012. Amended October 30, 2012, effective July 1, 2013.)