Does a county judge’s spouse working in administrative social services create an ethical conflict?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 1992. 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 county judge’s spouse worked for the Department of Social Services as a research developer, planning community services for aged and disabled clients. Her contact with individual clients was minimal and she had no contact with the county court system.
The Committee found no ethical conflict between the judge’s duties and the spouse’s work on those facts. It expressly limited the conclusion by noting that a different job role could raise other questions.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in 1992, 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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance.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: Did the spouse’s job require the judge to recuse?
A: The Committee found no conflict on the described facts.
Q: What facts mattered to the conclusion?
A: The spouse worked mainly on planning, had little client contact, and had no contact with county court.
Q: Did the opinion cover a different department role?
A: No. It said other considerations might arise if the spouse’s position were different.
Background and rules framework
The opinion considered the Nebraska Code of Judicial Conduct generally and identified no specific canon. Its answer depended on the spouse’s limited client and court contact.
Citations and references
Nebraska Code of Judicial Conduct: The opinion named the Code generally but cited no numbered Canon.
See also
Source
- Landing page: Nebraska Judicial Ethics Committee opinions
- Original PDF: Opinion 92-4
Original opinion text
Full opinion text unavailable from the official source; see the linked source above for the complete text.
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