Rule 1.10 Earwigging Prohibited

Judges are supposed to make decisions based only on what happens properly in court, like evidence, testimony, and official arguments. This rule says people cannot talk to a judge about a case outside of that formal process. You cannot try to discuss the facts or the law of a case with a judge in private, and you cannot try to sway their decision through casual conversation or outside pressure.

This applies whether the case is already in court or might be filed soon. It does not matter if the conversation happens directly with the judge or just where the judge can hear it. The only proper way to present arguments or facts is through the normal court process, like hearings, trials, or written briefs filed with the court.

The point of this rule is to keep the legal process fair. If people could talk to judges outside the courtroom about their case, it would give some people an unfair advantage and make it harder for everyone to trust that decisions are based only on the evidence and law presented properly. Breaking this rule can lead to serious consequences, since it undermines the fairness of the entire court system.