This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
Judges must work honestly with the agencies that investigate judges and lawyers for misconduct. If an agency asks a judge questions or requests information during an investigation, the judge has to answer truthfully and not hide anything or mislead investigators.
Judges also cannot punish or get back at someone because that person helped with or cooperated in an investigation into a judge or lawyer. This means a judge cannot treat someone worse in a case, deny them opportunities, or take any kind of revenge because they gave information to investigators, whether the judge does this personally or has someone else do it on their behalf.
This rule exists to protect the investigation process. People need to feel safe coming forward with information about judges or lawyers who may have done something wrong. If judges could punish those who cooperate, people would be too scared to report problems or answer questions honestly.
