Many thanks to my dear friend Dr. Samantha Hallman for sharing this with me!
Lawyers have an ethical responsibility to self-govern, yet so many are afraid to speak out when judges or other lawyers fail to uphold their own ethical obligations.
This journal article by Lonnie T. Brown, University of Georgia School of Law, explores this concept, questioning how lawyers can more effectively honor their own ethical obligations and ask for the same accountability in their professional community.
Hands down one of my favorite quotes comes early on in the article:
Judges are as fallible as anyone else and may possess personal biases, tainting self-interest, or even prejudice. As such, at times, they must disqualify themselves if their ability to dispense justice fairly and impartially can reasonably be questioned.
Lonnie T. Brown, University of Georgia
Particularly worth noting, is that Georgia has a system very similar to Michigan; judges are appointed, and then go through non-partisan elections. As a result, accountability, transparency, and fairness should be on full display, ensuring that elected officials are behaving in a way that is respectable and trustworthy.
The author makes an even more compelling argument, that in appointment-only states, lawyers should be even more accountable for ensuring judges honor their ethical obligations.
Read the journal article here.
