Table of Canons and Rules Cited in Opinions

Massachusetts Code of Judicial Conduct, effective January 1, 2016.

Table of Contents

Overview

This table includes the formal Letter Opinions issued by the Committee on Judicial Ethics that deal with the provisions of the new Code of Judicial Conduct, effective January 1, 2016.   

Similar tables dealing with the Code of Judicial Conduct as it existed prior to October 1, 2003; and the Code of Judicial Conduct, as it existed from October 1, 2003, until December 31, 2015, are located with the Judicial Ethics Educational and Historical Information. Adoption of the new Code may have rendered certain opinions decided under the Code as it existed prior to January 1, 2016, no longer valid or appropriate.

Table of canons and rules cited in opinions

Canon/RuleLetter Opinion
Preamble    (16-1), (17-1), (16-9)(21-1), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Scope     
Terminology (16-7), (17-5)(21-1), (23-1), (25-1)
Application 
Application (I)(A) 
Application (I)(B)(16-3), (16-5)
Application (II) 
Canon 1Letter Opinion
Compliance with the Law 
Rule 1.1                                      
Promoting Confidence in the Judiciary 
Rule 1.2                       (16-1), (16-6), (16-9), (17-1), (17-3), (18-2), (21-1),(21-2), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Avoiding Abuse of the Prestige of Judicial Office 
Rule 1.3            (16-1), (16-2), (16-9), (16-13), (17-2), (17-4)(21-2)
Canon 2Letter Opinion
Giving Precedence to the Duties of Judicial Office 
Rule 2.1                           (21-2)
Impartiality and Fairness 
Rule 2.2                  (16-9)
Bias, Prejudice, and Harassment 
Rule 2.3(16-1)
Rule 2.3(A)                             (16-1), (16-9)
Rule 2.3(B)                    
Rule 2.3(C) 
Rule 2.3(D)     
External Influences on Judicial Conduct 
Rule 2.4(16-1), (21-1)(21-2)
Rule 2.4(A)    
Rule 2.4(B)                              (16-1), (16-9), (21-1)
Rule 2.4(C)(16-1), (16-9), (21-1), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Competence, Diligence, and Cooperation 
Rule 2.5(A)                               
Rule 2.5(B)        
Ensuring the Right to be Heard 
Rule 2.6 (A) 
Rule 2.6(B)              
Responsibility to Decide 
Rule 2.7  
Decorum, Demeanor, and Communication with Jurors 
Rule 2.8(A) 
Rule 2.8(B) 
Rule 2.8(C) 
Ex-Parte Communications 
Rule 2.9(16-1)
Rule 2.9(A)(16-1), (16-9)
Rule 2.9(A)(1) 
Rule 2.9(A)(1)(a) 
Rule 2.9(A)(1)(b) 
Rule 2.9(A)(2) 
Rule 2.9(A)(3) 
Rule 2.9(A)(3)(a)   
Rule 2.9(A)(3)(b) 
Rule 2.9(A)(3)(c) 
Rule 2.9(A)(3)(d)               
Rule 2.9(A)(4) 
Rule 2.9(A)(5)   
Rule 2.9(B) 
Rule 2.9(C)  
Rule 2.9(D)  
Judicial Statements on Pending and Impending Cases 
Rule 2.10(16-1), (16-3), (17-1)(21-2)
Rule 2.10(A) (16-1), (16-4), (16-9), (17-1)
Rule 2.10(B)(16-1), (16-9)
Rule 2.10(C)(16-4)
Rule 2.10(D)  
Rule 2.10(E)  
Rule 2.10(F)  
Disqualification 
Rule 2.11(16-1), (16-8), (16-11), (16-12), (17-5), (18-3), (18-4)(21-2), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Rule 2.11(A)(16-1), (16-9), (16-11), (18-3), (18-4), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Rule 2.11(A)(1)(16-1), (16-8)(18-3), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Rule 2.11(A)(2)(a)(16-12), (23-1)
Rule 2.11(A)(2)(b)(16-11), (23-1)
Rule 2.11(A)(2)(c)(16-12), (23-1)
Rule 2.11(A)(2)(d)(23-1)
Rule 2.11(A)(3)(17-5), (23-1)
Rule 2.11(A)(4) 
Rule 2.11(A)(5)(a) 
Rule 2.11(A)(5)(b) 
Rule 2.11(A)(5)(c) 
Rule 2.11(A)(5)(d) 
Rule 2.11(B) 
Rule 2.11(C)(16-11), (18-4), (23-1), (23-2), (23-3)
Supervisory Duties 
Rule 2.12(A)  
Rule 2.12(B)  
Administrative Appointments 
Rule 2.13 (A)(16-5)
Rule 2.13(A)(1) 
Rule 2.13(A)(2) 
Rule 2.13(B)             
Disability and Impairment 
Rule 2.14   
Responding to Judicial and Lawyer Misconduct 
Rule 2.15(A) (21-1)
Rule 2.15(B)(25-1)
Rule 2.15(C)(21-1)
Rule 2.15(D)(25-1)
Cooperation with Disciplinary Authorities 
Rule 2.16(A)          
Rule 2.16(B)   
Canon 3Letter Opinion
Extrajudicial Activities in General 
Rule 3.1(16-1), (16-2), (16-6), (16-9), (17-1), (17-3), (17-4), (18-2), (21-1)(21-2)
Rule 3.1(A)   (16-1), (16-2), (16-9), (17-4)
Rule 3.1(B)              (16-2), (17-4)
Rule 3.1(C)             (16-2), (17-4)
Rule 3.1(D)         (17-4)
Rule 3.1(E)             (18-2)
Appearances before Governmental Bodies and Consultation with Government Officials 
Rule 3.2(A)    
Rule 3.2(B)     
Testifying as a Character Witness 
Rule 3.3         (16-13)
Appointments to Governmental Positions 
Rule 3.4 
Use of Nonpublic Information 
Rule 3.5(21-2)
Affiliation with Discriminatory Organizations 
Rule 3.6(A)                 
Rule 3.6(B)            
Participation in Legal, Educational, Religious, Charitable, Fraternal or Civic Organizations and Activities 
Rule 3.7(17-1), (17-3), (17-4), (18-1)(21-2)
Rule 3.7(A)                (18-1)
Rule 3.7(A)(1)            
Rule 3.7(A)(2)             
Rule 3.7(A)(3)(16-2)
Rule 3.7(A)(4)         (16-1), (16-2), (16-4)
Rule 3.7(A)(5)           (16-2), (17-3)
Rule 3.7(A)(5)(a)         
Rule 3.7(A)(5)(b)        
Rule 3.7(A)(6)  (16-6)
Rule 3.7(A)(6A)(17-4)
Rule 3.7(A)(7)        
Rule 3.7(B)                
Rule 3.7(C)            (16-2)
Appointments to Fiduciary Positions 
Rule 3.8(A)            (16-7)
Rule 3.8(B)         (16-7)
Rule 3.8(C)              
Rule 3.8(D)             
Service as Arbitrator or Mediator 
Rule 3.9              
Practice of Law 
Rule 3.10               (16-1), (16-7), (16-9), (18-2)
Rule 3.10(A)                 (16-1)
Rule 3.10(B) 
Financial, Business, or Remunerative Activities 
Rule 3.11(A)        (17-4)
Rule 3.11(B)       (16-4), (17-4), (18-1)(21-2)
Rule 3.11(C)         (16-4), (18-1)
Rule 3.11(C)(1)             
Rule 3.11(C)(2)         
Rule 3.11(C)(3)          
Rule 3.11(C)(4)         
Compensation for Extrajudicial Activities 
Rule 3.12                              (16-4), (17-4), (18-1)(21-2)
Acceptance and Reporting of Gifts, Loans, Bequests, Benefits, or Other Things of Value 
Rule 3.13(A)           
Rule 3.13(B)      
Rule 3.13(B)(1)     (17-4)
Rule 3.13(B)(2)       
Rule 3.13(B)(3)       
Rule 3.13(B)(4)        
Rule 3.13(B)(5)           
Rule 3.13(B)(6)           
Rule 3.13(B)(7)              
Rule 3.13(B)(8)           
Rule 3.13(C)         
Rule 3.13(D)            
Rule 3.13(D)(1)         
Rule 3.13(D)(2)               
Rule 3.13(D)(3)      
Rule 3.13(D)(4)          
Rule 3.13(E)             
Rule 3.13(E)(1)        
Rule 3.13(E)(2)            
Reimbursement of Expenses and Waivers of Fees or Changes 
Rule 3.14(A)                    
Rule 3.14(B)            
Rule 3.14(C)          
Reporting Requirements 
Rule 3.15(A)              (21-2)
Rule 3.15(B)        (16-4)
Canon 4Letter Opinion
Political and Campaign Activities 
Rule 4.1(16-1). (17-4), (21-1)(21-2)
Rule 4.1(A)                (16-1), (16-9), (16-10), (21-1)
Rule 4.1(A)(1)           
Rule 4.1(A)(2)                   
Rule 4.1(A)(3)            
Rule 4.1(A)(4)           
Rule 4.1(A)(5)         (16-10)
Rule 4.1(B)            (16-10)
Rule 4.1(C)                            
Activities of Judges who Become Candidates for Nonjudicial Office 
Rule 4.2(A)                          
Rule 4.2(B)                  

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