A. Judicial Duties in General. The judicial duties of a judge take precedence over all the judge's other activities. The judge's judicial duties include all the duties of the judge's office prescribed by law. In performance of those duties, the following standards apply.

B. Adjudicative Responsibilities.

(1) A judge should be faithful to the law and maintain professional competence in it. A judge should not be swayed by partisan interests, public clamor or fear of criticism.

(2) A judge should require order and decorum in proceedings before the judge.

(3) A judge should be patient, dignified and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers and others with whom he the judge deals in official capacity, and should require similar conduct of lawyers, and of his staff, court officials and others subject to the judge's direction and control.

(4) A judge should perform judicial duties without bias or prejudice. A judge should not, in the performance of judicial duties, by words or conduct manifest bias or prejudice, including but not limited to bias or prejudice based upon race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status, and should not permit staff, court officials and others subject to the judge's direction and control to do so.

(5) A judge should require lawyers in proceedings before the judge to refrain from manifesting, by words or conduct, bias or prejudice based upon race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status, against parties, witnesses, counsel or others. This Section 3B(5) does not preclude legitimate advocacy when race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status, or other similar factors, are issues in the proceeding.

(6) A judge should accord to every person who has a legal interest in a proceeding, or that person's lawyer, the right to be heard according to law. A judge should not initiate, nor consider ex parte communications, or consider other communications made to the judge outside the presence of the parties concerning a pending or impending proceeding except that:

(a) Where circumstances require, ex parte communications for scheduling, administrative purposes or emergencies that do not deal with substantive matters or issues on the merits are authorized; provided that the judge reasonably believes that no party will gain a procedural or tactical advantage as a result of the ex parte communication.

(b) A judge may obtain the advice of a disinterested expert on the law applicable to a proceeding before the judge if the judge gives notice to the parties of the person consulted and the substance of the advice, with a record being made, and affords the parties reasonable opportunity to respond.

(c) A judge may consult with court personnel whose function is to aid the judge in carrying out the judge's adjudicative responsibilities or with other judges.

(d) A judge may initiate or consider any ex parte communications when expressly authorized by law to do so.

(7) A judge should dispose of all judicial matters promptly, efficiently and fairly.

(8) A judge should not, while a proceeding is pending or impending in any court, make any public comment that might reasonably be expected to affect the outcome or impair its fairness or make any non-public comment that might substantially interfere with a fair trial or hearing. The judge should require similar abstention on the part of court personnel subject the judge's direction and control. This Section does not prohibit judges from making public statements in the course of their official duties or from explaining for public information the procedures of the court. This Section does not apply to proceedings in which the judge is a litigant in a personal capacity.

(9) A judge should not, with respect to cases, controversies or issues that are likely to come before the court, make pledges, promises or commitments that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of the office.

(10) Except as permitted by the individual judge, the use of cameras, television or other recording or broadcasting equipment is prohibited in a courtroom or in the immediate vicinity of a courtroom.

(a) Before cameras, television or other recordings or broadcasting equipment are used, express permission of the judge must be obtained.

(b) The judge shall prescribe the conditions and specific rules under which such equipment may be used.

(c) Media personnel shall not distract participants or impair the dignity of the proceedings.

(d) No witness, juror or party who expresses any objection to the judge shall be photographed nor shall the testimony of such a witness, juror or party be broadcast or telecast.

(e) There shall be no photographing or broadcasting of :

(1) any proceeding which under the laws of this State are required to be held in private; or

(2) any portion of any criminal proceedings until the issues have been submitted to the jury for determination unless all accused persons who are then on trial shall have affirmatively, on the record, given their consent to the photographing or broadcasting.

(f) No media representative shall offer, nor shall any party, witness or juror accept, consideration in exchange for consent to telecast, broadcast or photograph the judicial proceeding.

8. Representatives of the news media shall conduct themselves at all times in a professional manner consistent with the spirit and intent of this rule. In order to insure such conduct, if such conduct of the news media which violates any of these rules is brought to the attention of any judge, the offending person shall be notified to immediately cease and desist such activity. If the offending party refuses to comply with the order, the judge may act to end such activity, including the seizure of the equipment of such person. Any offender may be dealt with for contempt of court.

(11) A judge should not commend or criticize jurors for their verdict other than in a court order or opinion in a proceeding, but may express appreciation to jurors for their service to the judicial system and the community.

C. Managerial Responsibilities.

(1) A judge should diligently discharge the judge's managerial responsibilities, without bias or prejudice and maintain professional competence in judicial administration, and should cooperate with other judges and court officials in the administration of court business.

(2) A judge should require staff, court officials and others subject to the judge's direction and control to observe the standards of fidelity and diligence that apply to the judge and to refrain from manifesting bias or prejudice in the performance of their official duties.

(3) A judge with supervisory authority for the judicial performance of other judges should take reasonable measures to assure the prompt disposition of matters before them and the proper performance of their other judicial responsibilities.

(4) A judge should not make unnecessary appointments. A judge should exercise the power of appointment impartially and on the basis of merit. A judge should avoid nepotism and favoritism. A judge should not approve compensation of appointees beyond the fair value of services rendered.

D. Disciplinary Responsibilities. A judge should report to the appropriate disciplinary authority any unprofessional conduct of a judge or lawyer of which the judge may become aware.

E. Disqualification.

(1) A judge should disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding in which the judge's impartiality might reasonably be questioned, including but not limited to instances where:

(a) the judge has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party or a party's lawyer, or personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning the proceeding;

(b) the judge served as a lawyer in the matter in controversy, or a lawyer with whom the judge previously practiced law served during such association as a lawyer concerning the matter, or the judge has been a material witness concerning it;

(c) The judge knows that he or she, individually or as a fiduciary, or the judge's spouse, parent or child wherever residing, or any other member of the judge's family residing in the judge's household, has an economic interest in the subject matter in controversy or has an interest more than de minimis that could be substantially affected by the proceeding;

(d) The judge or the judge's spouse, or a person within the third degree of relationship to either of them, or the spouse of such a person;

(i) is a party to the proceeding, or an officer, director or trustee of a party;

(ii) is acting as a lawyer in the proceeding;

(iii) is known by the judge to have an interest more than de minimis that could be substantially affected by the proceeding;

(iv) is to the judge's knowledge likely to be a material witness in the proceeding.

(e)The Judge, while a judge or candidate for judicial office, has made a public statement that commits, or appears to commit, the judge with respect to an issue in the proceeding or the controversy in the proceeding.

(2) A judge shall keep informed about the judge's personal and fiduciary economic interests, and make a reasonable effort to keep informed about the personal economic interests of the judge's spouse and minor children residing in the judge's household.