Rule 21-213 Administrative appointments.

When a judge picks people for court-related jobs, like appointing a lawyer to handle a case, the judge has to make that choice fairly. The decision should be based on who is actually qualified and right for the job, not on personal relationships or favors. Judges are not allowed to appoint family members or friends just because of who they are, and they should not create extra jobs or appointments that aren't really needed.

Judges also need to think about how their choices look to the public. Even if a judge picks someone for good reasons, the choice can still cause problems if it looks unfair or suspicious to others. So judges have to be careful to avoid situations that seem shady, even if nothing improper actually happened.

Finally, if a judge approves payment for someone they appointed, that payment has to match the actual value of the work done. A judge cannot approve extra or inflated pay for an appointee, even if that person is skilled or well connected.