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Rule 2.7 7: Responsibility to Decide

Canon 2: A Judge Shall Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially, Competently, and Diligently

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Rule Text

A judge shall hear and decide matters assigned to the judge, except when disqualification is required by Rule 2.11 or other law.*

Amendment history: Effective March 1, 1993

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 actually judge. If a case is assigned to them, they need to hear it and make a decision. They can't dodge tough or unpopular cases just because they don't want to deal with them.

There are only a few reasons a judge can step aside from a case. The main one is if Rule 2.11 requires it, which covers things like conflicts of interest or personal bias. Other laws might also require a judge to step back in certain situations.

This rule exists because judges sometimes want to avoid controversial or difficult cases. The rule makes clear that avoiding a case isn't allowed just because it's hard, unpopular, or uncomfortable. Judges took on the job of making decisions, and this rule holds them to that duty.

Committee Notes

Comment

[1] Judges must be available to decide the matters that come before the court. Although there are times when disqualification is necessary to protect the rights of litigants and preserve public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, judges must be available to decide matters that come before the courts. Unwarranted disqualification may bring public disfavor to the court and to the judge personally. The dignity of the court, the judge's respect for fulfillment of judicial duties, and a proper concern for the burdens that may be imposed upon the judge's colleagues require that a judge not use disqualification to avoid cases that present difficult, controversial, or unpopular issues.

← Previous Rule 2.6: 6: Ensuring the Right to Be Heard Next → Rule 2.8: 8: Decorum, Demeanor, and Communication with Jurors

Cross-References

References (1)

Ind. Code Jud. Cond. Rule 2.11

Referenced By (1)

Ind. Code Jud. Cond. Terminology

This Rule Set

View All Ind. Code Jud. Cond. Rules

Last updated: August 2026

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