Rule 2.1 Giving Precedence to the Duties of Judicial Office

Judges have to put their courtroom responsibilities first, ahead of their personal life or other activities outside the court. This means if a judge takes on side activities, like teaching a class, joining a community group, or writing a book, none of that can get in the way of doing the job as a judge.

If there's ever a conflict between a judge's outside interests and their court duties, the court duties win. This rule exists to make sure judges stay focused on serving the public fairly and don't let personal projects or commitments slow down cases or affect their judgment on the bench.