Pilot Project: Town and Village Justice FAQs
This page was conceived as a resource for those interested in determining whether their current (or prospective) non-judicial employment is ethically compatible with their current (or prospective) part-time judicial office. We have broadened it to encompass a few other frequently asked questions, as a starting point for research.
In addition, our Memo to Aspiring Town and Village Justices (separate page) provides an overview of some factors that may prove problematic in outside non-judicial employment.
Highlights from Subject Matter Index
We have collected opinions from the past decade into a very rough subject matter index. Here are some direct links to a few topics within that index that we believe may be of special interest to sitting or aspiring town and village justices.
- Ethical compatibility of a part-time judge's outside employment:
- Common conflicts questions (intro):
- Judicial duties (intro):
- Judicial independence (intro):
- Public comment rule (intro):
You can also explore the subject matter index from its home page.
Election Campaign
Those seeking election or re-election to town or village justice positions are encouraged to avoid unintended missteps on their path to judicial office by availing themselves of training and guidance from the Judicial Campaign Ethics Center.
Additional Resources
We cannot address legal questions, but have occasionally cited opinions issued by other state agencies on topics relevant to town and village justices:
- Attorney General's Office allows its newer opinions to be searched either by subject (such as "Compatibility of Public Offices or Positions of Employment" or "Town Justice") or by statute (such as "Uniform Justice Court Act").
- Office of the State Comptroller offers a text search for its post-1988 opinions.