Also known as: due administrations of justice · administration of justice
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
The fair, efficient, and impartial operation of the courts and judicial processes. It encompasses the selection of proper venues, the avoidance of obstructive conduct by lawyers and judges, and the maintenance of public confidence in judicial integrity.
Daniel Diaz operated a used-car dealership in the Eastern District while altering odometers at auctions in the Western District. Prosecutors filed charges in the Eastern District after online sales reached buyers there. The court denied the motion to dismiss, finding venue proper because essential conduct occurred in the filing district and the place of trial could be set with attention to convenience and prompt resolution.
Judge Destiny Davis accepted an invitation to speak at a bar association event about access to legal services. She permitted her title to be used in the program and received an award for her service. The conduct complied with judicial conduct standards because the event concerned the legal system and did not involve fundraising.
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Attorney Damian Decker directed an e-discovery vendor to delete internal emails that discussed known product defects in a pending products-liability suit. The emails directly responded to the plaintiff's discovery requests. The state disciplinary authority opened an investigation, treating the targeted removal as conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.
Judge Diego Duarte repeatedly missed court dates and appeared impaired on the bench while struggling with voluntary illegal drug use. Despite entering treatment, the pattern continued. The judicial conduct commission removed him from office, concluding that the conduct undermined public confidence and constituted gross dereliction of duty.
Judge Demetrius Douglas appeared on the program of a nonprofit gala that raised funds for legal-aid programs. Because the event directly concerned the administration of justice, the judge could participate and allow use of his title even though the event served a fundraising purpose.
Defendant Elena Ruiz offered a nolo contendere plea in a fraud prosecution. The court weighed the parties' views against the public interest. Finding that acceptance would disserve prompt resolution and public confidence, the court rejected the plea to protect the due administration of justice.
The court must weigh the convenience of the defendant, any victim, and the witnesses, along with the need for prompt resolution of the case.
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A lawyer violates the rule by engaging in conduct that undermines the integrity of judicial proceedings, such as directing the destruction of responsive documents or otherwise obstructing the discovery process.
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Yes. Chronic absenteeism combined with voluntary illegal drug use can constitute conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and gross dereliction of duty, justifying removal.
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A judge may appear or speak at such an event and permit use of the judicial title when the event concerns the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice, even if the event raises funds.
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Yes. When criminal conduct spans multiple districts, the government may prosecute in any district in which an essential part of the offense took place, after which the court selects the trial location with regard to convenience and prompt administration of justice.
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…report, that The third degree brutalizes the police, hardens the prisoner against society, and lowers the esteem in which the administration of justice is held by the public.' " IV National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement, Report on Lawlessness in Law Enforcement 5 (1931). Again we stress that the modern practice of…