Judicial Ethics Educational and Historical Information

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court adopted a new Code of Judicial Conduct, effective January 1, 2016. Educational and historical information about the current Code of Judicial Conduct, as well as the Codes that preceded it, is listed below.

Educational Resources

• Judicial Ethics Frequently Asked Questions
• 2016 Code of Judicial Conduct PowerPoint
• Hypotheticals with Answers
• Explanation of Family Relations in the Code

Code History: Current Code of Judicial Conduct

• Summary of Key New and Revised Provisions
• The Report of the Committee to Study the Code of Judicial Conduct 
• Correlation Table Comparing the 2016 Code to the 2003 Code 
• Correlation Table Comparing the 2003 Code to the 2016 Code 
• Redline Comparison of the 2016 Code to the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct 

Code History: Prior Codes of Judicial Conduct in effect from October 1, 2003 – December 31, 2015

The archived Disposition Table and Derivation Table correlate the provisions of an earlier version of the Code, effective through September 30, 2003, and a revised Code, effective through December 31, 2015. The Code by Code Comparison shows side-by-side the language of each provision of the Code effective through December 31, 2015, and the cognate language (if any) in the Code effective through September 30, 2003.

• Archived Materials - Code of Judicial Conduct (Effective October 1, 2003-December 31, 2015) Disposition Table 
• Archived Materials - Code of Judicial Conduct (Effective October 1, 2003-December 31, 2015) Derivation Table 
• Archived Materials - Code of Judicial Conduct (Effective October 1, 2003-December 31, 2015) Code by Code Comparison

There are two archived canon indices -- one for the Code as it existed through September 30, 2003, and one for the Code effective October 1, 2003 through December 31, 2015.

• Table of Canons and Sections Cited in Opinions (through December 31, 2015)
  Code in effect from October 1, 2003 - December 31, 2015
• Table of Canons and Sections Cited in Opinions (through September 30, 2003)
  Code in effect until September 30, 2003