Rule 5-302.0 Canon 2. A judge shall perform the duties of judicial office impartially, competently, and diligently.

Judges are expected to do their jobs fairly, skillfully, and with real effort. This means treating everyone in the courtroom the same way, without favoring one side over the other. It also means judges need to know the law well enough to apply it correctly, and stay current on legal rules and procedures.

Being diligent means judges can't drag their feet or let cases sit without action. They need to handle matters in a timely way and give each case the attention it deserves. This rule sets the overall standard for how judges should carry out their work, and other more specific rules build on these three basic ideas of fairness, skill, and effort.