3.130(8.2) Judicial and legal officials

Lawyers cannot say false things about judges, court officials, or candidates for judicial or legal office. This rule stops a lawyer from making statements that attack a judge's honesty or qualifications if the lawyer knows the statement is false or does not bother to check whether it is true. In other words, a lawyer cannot recklessly spread false claims that damage a judge's or official's reputation.

If a lawyer is running for judicial office themselves, they also have to follow the rules set out in the Code of Judicial Conduct. This means their campaign conduct is held to the same standards expected of judges, not just the standards for lawyers.

The point of this rule is to protect the public's trust in the legal system. Judges and legal officials need to be able to do their jobs without facing false attacks on their character. At the same time, lawyers can still raise honest, well-founded concerns about a judge's conduct or qualifications. The rule only punishes false statements made knowingly or carelessly, not fair criticism based on facts.