Colo. Code. Jud. Cond. 2.4

As amended through Rule Change 2024(18), effective October 2, 2024

Rule 2.4 - External Influences on Judicial Conduct

(A) A judge shall not be swayed by public clamor or fear of criticism.

(B) A judge shall not permit family, social, political, financial, or other interests or relationships to influence the judge's judicial conduct or judgment.

(C) A judge shall not convey or permit others to convey the impression that any person or organization is in a position to influence the judge.

Colo. Code. Jud. Cond. 2.4

COMMENT

[1] An independent judiciary requires that judges decide cases according to the law and facts, without regard to whether particular laws or litigants are popular or unpopular with the public, the media, government officials, or the judge's friends or family. Confidence in the judiciary is eroded if judicial decision making is perceived to be subject to inappropriate outside influences.

ETHICS OPINIONS The judge may, at her discretion, meet with a special interest group, but the judge is not required to do so. In assessing whether to grant a request for a meeting, the judge should require the special interest group to submit a written request specifying the purpose of the meeting. If the purpose is not improper and the judge wishes to grant the request, she should send a written response laying out ground rules for the meeting. At the meeting itself, the judge should ensure that the group is not given any impression that it is in a special position to influence the judge, and the judge should not engage in any ex parte communications with the group regarding any pending or impending matters. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 08-01. While a mentee judge may consult with his or her mentor judge or any other judge on "pending or impending matters," the extent of those consultations should be limited to aiding the mentee judge in reaching a final decision on that matter. The consultation should not in any way actually influence, or appear to influence, the decision the mentee judge is responsible for making in a pending matter. The final adjudicative responsibility for any decision resides solely with the mentee-judge. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 04-02.