May a judge give Martindale-Hubbell a professional evaluation of a lawyer?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 1991. 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 asked whether responding to a Martindale-Hubbell request for a rating and recommendation of an attorney was permissible.
The Committee allowed a professional evaluation for that publication or a similar legal rating periodical. It said the evaluation should remain confidential and should not create a public impression of judicial endorsement.
The opinion applied former Canon 2B, which barred lending judicial prestige to advance others’ private interests. It described confidential lawyer evaluations as constructive and advised confirming that the publication would keep the response confidential.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in 1991, 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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance.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: May the judge provide the requested evaluation?
A: Yes. The Committee expressly permitted a professional evaluation for the legal rating publication.
Q: Could the evaluation be publicized as the judge’s endorsement?
A: No. The opinion said the response should remain confidential and create no public impression of endorsement.
Background and rules framework
The opinion applied former Nebraska Canon 2B to a confidential lawyer evaluation supplied to a legal rating publication.
Citations and references
Former Nebraska Code of Judicial Conduct: Canon 2B.
See also
Source
- Landing page: Nebraska Judicial Ethics Committee opinions
- Original PDF: Opinion 91-1
Original opinion text
Full opinion text unavailable from the official source; see the linked source above for the complete text.
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