About the ACJE: Organization and Purpose

The 26-member New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics (ACJE) responds to written inquiries from New York State's more than 3,000 full- and part-time judges and justices, as well as quasi-judicial officials such as judicial hearing officers, support magistrates, and court attorney-referees. It interprets the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct (22 NYCRR Part 100) and the Code of Judicial Conduct.

The ACJE was formed in 1987 to help New York State's judges and justices adhere to the high standards set forth in the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct. In 1988, the New York State Legislature codified the ACJE's creation in Judiciary Law §212(2)(l), which provides that any action a judge takes in accordance with a formal advisory opinion of the ACJE is "presumed proper" for purposes of any subsequent investigation by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Since then, the ACJE has issued approximately 140 to 220 formal opinions annually in response to questions from judges, justices and quasi-judicial officers about the propriety of their own conduct. Those opinions set forth the ACJE's interpretations of the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct, providing New York State's judicial and quasi-judicial officers with guidance for those circumstances that are not specifically governed by a particular rule.

The ACJE's published opinions are available online (simply select "Search ACJE Opinions" from the menu on the left side of the screen at any time). The opinions also are published on Westlaw and in annual reports.

The Honorable George D. Marlow, Statewide Judicial Director of Ethics Education and Counsel, Justice of the Supreme Court for the Ninth Judicial District, and former Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, is Chair of the ACJE. The Honorable Betty W. Ellerin, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department (Ret.), and the Honorable Jerome C. Gorski, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, are Vice Chairs.

Formal inquiries to the ACJE may be mailed to: Maryrita Dobiel, Chief Counsel, Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics, Unified Court System, 4 Empire State Plaza, Suite 2001, Albany, New York, 12223-1450.

For informal inquiries, a judge, justice or quasi-judicial employee may call 1-866-79-JUDGE [58343]. Inquirers may also contact Justice Marlow at 1-845-486-2200; Hon. Edward P. Borrelli at 1-914-824-5329; Ms. Dobiel at 1-518-474-7469; or may call any other Committee member or staff counsel for assistance.

The Committee does not accept inquiries by e-mail.

Judicial Campaign Ethics Subcommittee

In response to recommendations of the New York State Commission to Promote Public Confidence in Judicial Elections, the ACJE established a five-judge Judicial Campaign Ethics Subcommittee which works closely with the Judicial Campaign Ethics Center ("JCEC") to review and respond to ethical inquiries from judicial candidates about their own prospective campaign conduct on an expedited basis.

The Honorable Arnold F. Ciaccio, Monroe County Surrogate (Ret.), is Chair of the Subcommittee.

Judicial candidates, whether or not they are sitting judges, may e-mail their inquiries to the JCEC at contactjcec@courts.state.ny.us.