New Judicial Rule To Address Campaign Donations, Case Assignments

Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman told the New York Times and the New York Law Journal that he will announce a new that will prohibit the state’s elected judges from hearing cases involving lawyers and others who make significant contributions to their campaigns.  The Chief Judge will make the announcement during his 2011 State of the Judiciary address at the Court of Appeals in Albany on Tuesday.

Under the new rule, attorneys who contribute $2,500 or more and firms that have donate $3,500 or more to judicial candidates will be barred from appearing before those judges for two years.

According to the news reports, administrative judges will review judicial contributions, and when when contributions to a certain judge exceed these amounts the attorney’s or firm’s case will not be assigned to that judge.

The Statewide Judiciary Board us made up of the Chief Judge and the presiding justices of each of the state’s four Appellate Divisions.  It has the authority to adopt rules, and is not required to go through a public comment period.