Rule 4-8.2 Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession - Judicial and Legal Officials

Lawyers cannot lie about judges or other legal officials. If a lawyer makes a public statement about a judge, court official, or someone running for a judicial or legal position, that statement can't be false. It also can't be made carelessly, without caring whether it's true or not. This applies to judges currently in office and to people who are candidates for these positions.

The point of this rule is to protect the public's trust in the court system. Lawyers have a unique role because people often listen to what lawyers say about judges and legal officials, since lawyers are seen as insiders who know the system. So when a lawyer spreads false information, it can seriously damage how much the public trusts courts and judges, even if the lawyer didn't mean to cause harm.

The second part of this rule applies specifically to lawyers who decide to run for judicial office themselves. If a lawyer becomes a candidate for a judge position, they also have to follow the separate rules laid out in the Code of Judicial Conduct. This means lawyer-candidates face two sets of rules at once, both their normal professional conduct rules and the additional standards judges and judicial candidates must meet.