Rule 21-303 Testifying as a character witness.

Judges are not allowed to speak up as character witnesses in court cases or other formal hearings. This means a judge cannot go into a proceeding and tell the court that someone is a good person or has good character, even if they know that person well. The only time a judge can do this is if they are officially called to testify through a subpoena or similar legal order.

The reason for this rule is to keep judges neutral and separate from cases in ways that could look unfair or biased. If judges could freely vouch for people's character, it might seem like they are using their position and authority to influence a case's outcome. This could make people question whether the court system is treating everyone equally, since a judge's word might carry more weight than a regular citizen's.

So unless a judge is legally required to testify, they need to stay out of these situations entirely. This protects the fairness and independence that the court system depends on.