California Courts Must Help Public Ensure Trust: Chief Justice

The California Supreme Court needs to ensure the public understands and believes courts operate fairly and independently while working to ensure lawyers and judges are conducting themselves with high ethical standards, Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero said.

Comments are due by Friday on the court’s Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions draft formal opinion that provides guidance on how officers of the court should respond to attorney misconduct, the latest effort to address complaints over failures to rein in delinquent lawyers.

Meanwhile, Guerrero, in her first meeting with reporters on Jan. 18 since taking the middle seat on the seven-seat bench, said ...