Fifth Cir. Judge Draws Ethics Complaint for Mask Removal Request

A federal judge who asked a government lawyer to remove his mask at an argument after the attorney said he would prefer to keep it on violated conduct rules, a court watchdog alleged in an ethics complaint.

Fix the Court said in its complaint with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that appellate Judge Jerry Smith violated part of the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges that says jurists “should be patient, dignified, respectful, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity.”

Smith asked Justice Department lawyer ...