Also known as:prejudice to the administration of justice · administration of justice prejudice
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
Conduct by a lawyer that interferes with the fair and orderly functioning of judicial proceedings or undermines public confidence in the legal system.
Sources & Authorities
How it applies
Common Examples
2
Leaking Sealed Juror Questionnaires
Pierre Poulin represents a client in a high-profile civil defamation suit. The judge orders detailed juror questionnaires sealed. Poulin secretly emails the questionnaires to a blogger and asks the blogger to publish commentary pressuring certain jurors to seek excusal. Disciplinary authorities learn of the leak.
Judge's Drug Use and Absenteeism
A sitting judge engages in voluntary illegal drug use despite efforts at treatment and is chronically unavailable for court duties. The conduct leads to removal proceedings. The judge's actions demonstrate a lack of fitness that erodes public trust in the courts.
Put it into practice
Test Yourself
10
Practice Questions5
· 4 primary sources
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cases
Model Codes
Casebooks
Hornbooks
Course Outlines
Common questions
Frequently Asked
5
Does conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice require proof of actual harm to a proceeding?+
No. The rule reaches attempts to corrupt or manipulate court processes even if the effort fails or produces no tangible effect on the outcome.
Supporting sources
Does the rule apply only in criminal cases?+
No. The prohibition covers conduct in any tribunal, including civil proceedings, that undermines jury selection, discovery, or courtroom order.
Supporting sources
Can a lawyer be disciplined for urging a clerk to suppress a filing even if the clerk refuses?+
Yes. The attempt itself to enlist court staff in derailing a motion constitutes conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice regardless of whether the clerk complies.
Supporting sources
Does isolated rudeness by a lawyer violate the rule?+
No. Minor lapses in civility or intemperate language do not rise to the level of professional misconduct absent a tendency to impair the integrity of the judicial process.
Supporting sources
Is orchestrating disruptive applause in a courtroom subject to discipline under this rule?+
Yes. Coordinated efforts to inject partisan theatrics into proceedings after a judicial warning interfere with courtroom decorum and the neutral evaluation of evidence.
Supporting sources
Professional ResponsibilityRegulation of the legal profession · Regulation after admission—lawyer disciplineMPREIntermediate