May a judge certify factual practice information for a lawyer’s admission in another state?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 1989. Ask about yours and see what the current rules of professional conduct in your state say for your facts, with citations.
Plain-English summary
A judge was asked to complete an Illinois bar proof-of-practice form for a former Nebraska lawyer who had appeared before the judge. The judge proposed stating the dates and facts of those appearances and dates of Nebraska bar membership.
The Committee said a factual certificate about appearances and cases was permissible if it added no recommendation or evaluation. If the judge was certain of the lawyer’s good-standing dates, listing those also violated no canon, although the bar secretary could provide that information more appropriately.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in 1989, before Nebraska's adoption of the 2011 Revised Code of Judicial Conduct. Subsequent rule amendments or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance. Verify against current rules before relying on any specific requirement.
Common questions
Q: Could the judge confirm court appearances?
A: Yes. The opinion allowed certification of known facts and dates without a recommendation or evaluation.
Q: Could the judge confirm good-standing dates?
A: Yes, if certain of them; the Committee noted that the bar secretary might be a more appropriate source.
Background and rules framework
The opinion applied former Nebraska Canon 2’s appearance-of-impropriety rule to a factual bar-admission certificate.
Citations and references
Former Nebraska Code of Judicial Conduct: Canon 2. Earlier opinion discussed: Nebraska Ethics Advisory Opinion 89-2.
See also
Source
- Landing page: Nebraska Judicial Ethics Committee opinions
- Original PDF: Opinion 89-7
Original opinion text
Full opinion text unavailable from the official source; see the linked source above for the complete text.
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