Ala. Jud. Ethics 2
Commentary
Public confidence in the judiciary is eroded by irresponsible or improper conduct by judges. A judge must avoid all impropriety and appearance of impropriety. He must expect to be the subject of constant public scrutiny. He must, therefore, accept restrictions on his conduct that might be viewed as burdensome by the ordinary citizen and should do so freely and willingly.
The testimony of a judge as a character witness injects the prestige of his office into the proceeding in which he testifies and may be misunderstood to be an official testimonial. This Canon, however, does not exempt a judge from testifying if he is officially summoned. This Canon does not per se prohibit a judge from writing a letter of recommendation disclosing personal information of someone's experience, character or ability. Such letter, however, should not be written if the recipient is engaged in litigation before the judge or it is likely that the recipient will be engaged in proceedings that would ordinarily come before the court.
This Canon is not intended to proscribe or punish anypublic comment by a judge unless such public comment isimpermissible under Canon 3.A(6).
Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Canon 2.C., Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics, effective August 25, 2004, is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from 879 So.2d.