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Iowa Code Jud. Conduct 51:2.2

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

Rule 51:2.2 Impartiality and Fairness

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

← Previous Rule 51:2.1: Giving Precedence to the Duties of Judicial Office Next → Rule 51:2.3: Bias, Prejudice, and Harassment

Rule Text

A judge shall uphold and apply the law,* and shall perform all duties of judicial office fairly and impartially.*

Amendment history: Court Order April 30, 2010, effective May 3, 2010

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 must treat everyone in their courtroom the same way, no matter who they are. This means following the law as it's written and not letting personal opinions, biases, or outside pressure change how they handle a case.

Being fair also means giving both sides a real chance to be heard. A judge can't favor one side because of who they are, who they know, or what the judge personally believes about the outcome. Every person who walks into that courtroom deserves the same fair treatment and the same honest application of the law.

This rule is about trust. People need to believe that when they go to court, the judge will call things fairly based on the facts and the law, not based on favoritism or personal bias. When judges follow this rule, it helps keep the whole justice system honest and reliable.

Committee Notes

[1] To ensure impartiality and fairness to all parties, a judge must be objective and open-minded.

[2] Although each judge comes to the bench with a unique background and personal philosophy, a judge must interpret and apply the law without regard to whether the judge approves or disapproves of the law in question.

[3] When applying and interpreting the law, a judge sometimes may make good-faith errors of fact or law. Errors of this kind do not violate this rule.

[4] It is not a violation of this rule for a judge to make reasonable accommodations to ensure self-represented litigants the opportunity to have their matters fairly heard. By way of illustration, a judge may: (1) provide brief information about the proceeding; (2) provide information about evidentiary and foundational requirements; (3) modify the traditional order of taking evidence; (4) refrain from using legal jargon; (5) explain the basis for a ruling; and (6) make referrals to any resources available to assist the litigant in the preparation of the case.

← Previous Rule 51:2.1: Giving Precedence to the Duties of Judicial Office Next → Rule 51:2.3: Bias, Prejudice, and Harassment