Rule 3.10 Practice of Law

Judges cannot work as lawyers while they serve as judges. This means they cannot represent clients, give legal advice for pay, or take on legal cases outside of their judicial duties.

There are two exceptions to this rule. A judge can represent themselves in their own legal matters. A judge can also help out family members by giving them free legal advice or helping write and check legal documents. However, even with family, the judge cannot act as their official lawyer in court or in any other legal setting.

The reason for this rule is simple. Judges need to focus on judging cases fairly, not on representing people. Letting judges practice law on the side could create conflicts of interest and make people question whether the judge is truly neutral.