Home › Hawaii › Hawaiʻi Revised Code of Judicial Conduct › Rule 1.2

Court Rules Network • courtrules.net

Haw. Rev. Code Jud. Conduct 1.2

Not legal advice. Verify against official sources before relying on this text in any legal matter.

Rule 1.2 Promoting Confidence in the Judiciary

Canon 1. A Judge Shall Uphold and Promote the Independence, Integrity, and Impartiality of the Judiciary and Shall Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety

← Previous Rule 1.1: Compliance with the Law Next → Rule 1.3: Avoiding Misuse of the Prestige of Judicial Office

Rule Text

A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence,* integrity,* and impartiality* of the judiciary and shall avoid impropriety* and the appearance of impropriety.*

Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)

This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.

Judges have to act in ways that make people trust the courts. This means a judge's behavior, both on the bench and off, should show that they are fair, honest, and not influenced by outside pressures. People need to believe that judges make decisions based on the law and facts, not personal favors or outside relationships.

This rule also means judges must avoid doing anything that looks bad, even if it's technically not against the rules. If a judge's actions would make a reasonable person question their fairness or honesty, that's a problem, even if the judge didn't actually do anything wrong. The goal is to protect the public's trust in the court system as a whole.

In practice, this rule covers a judge's conduct both in the courtroom and in everyday life. A judge who acts dishonestly, shows favoritism, or puts themselves in situations that create doubt about their fairness can be seen as violating this rule, even without a specific law being broken.

Committee Notes

COMMENT:

[1]Public confidence in the judiciary is eroded by improper conduct and conduct that creates the appearance of impropriety. This principle applies to both the professional and personal conduct of a judge.

[2]A judge should expect to be the subject of public scrutiny that might be viewed as burdensome if applied to other citizens and must accept the restrictions imposed by the Code.

[3]Conduct that compromises or appears to compromise the independence, integrity, and impartiality of a judge undermines public confidence in the judiciary. Because it is not practicable to list all such conduct, the Rule is necessarily cast in general terms.

[4]Judges should participate in activities that promote ethical conduct among judges and lawyers, support professionalism within the judiciary and the legal profession, and promote access to justice for all.

[5]Actual improprieties include violations of law, court rules, or provisions of this Code.

[6]A judge should initiate and participate in community outreach activities for the purpose of promoting public understanding of and confidence in the administration of justice. In conducting such activities, the judge must act in a manner consistent with this Code.

← Previous Rule 1.1: Compliance with the Law Next → Rule 1.3: Avoiding Misuse of the Prestige of Judicial Office

Cross-References

Referenced By (1)

Haw. Rev. Code Jud. Conduct Terminology

Bluebook Citation

Haw. Rev. Code Jud. Conduct 1.2

This Rule Set

View All Haw. Rev. Code Jud. Conduct Rules

Last updated: October 2026

Report an error