Rule 8.2 Judicial and Legal Officials

Lawyers have to be careful about what they say publicly about judges and other legal officials. A lawyer cannot make false statements about a judge's honesty or qualifications if the lawyer knows the statement is false, or if the lawyer didn't bother to check whether it was true. This rule also covers people running for judicial or legal office, so lawyers can't spread lies about candidates either.

This doesn't mean lawyers can never criticize judges or legal officials. They can raise honest concerns or disagree with decisions. The problem comes in when a lawyer knowingly lies, or recklessly makes claims without caring if they're true, about someone's character or fitness for the job.

If a lawyer is running for a judgeship themselves, they also have to follow the separate rules that apply to judicial candidates. This means their campaign conduct is held to the same standards spelled out in the Code of Judicial Conduct, on top of the regular rules that apply to lawyers.