Albany Times Union (Jay Jochnowitz): Pay raise suit no excuse for judges
New York's judges can't refuse to hear cases involving state lawmakers or legislators' law firms because Chief Judge Judith Kaye and the Unified Court System are suing the Legislature for a judicial pay hike, the Commission on Judicial Conduct said Monday. Moreover, the panel warned, it wouldn't help the judiciary's image if the commission has to look into instances of judges bowing out of cases involving lawmakers or their firms. A commission spokesman would not say whether any judges are under investigation for refusing to hear such cases. The issue came to the fore in recent weeks after various judges around the state started citing conflicts of interest because of Kaye's battle with the Legislature.
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Full Text of Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinion