Supreme Court Ethics Act

Hozzl · 2023-12-13T11:47:46Z

Explore the details of Senate Bill 325 Supreme Court Ethics Act currently in Congress. Get insights into its purpose, current status, sponsors, and potential impact on Law. Stay informed on legislative developments.

12/13/2023, 11:47 AM

Summary of Bill S 325

Bill 118 s 325, also known as the Supreme Court Ethics Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress. The main purpose of this bill is to establish a code of ethics for Supreme Court Justices in order to ensure transparency and accountability within the highest court in the land.

The bill outlines specific guidelines for ethical behavior that Supreme Court Justices must adhere to, including rules regarding conflicts of interest, financial disclosures, and recusal from cases where a Justice may have a personal or financial stake. Additionally, the bill requires Justices to undergo regular ethics training to ensure they are upholding the highest standards of integrity.

One of the key provisions of the Supreme Court Ethics Act is the establishment of an independent ethics committee that will be responsible for investigating any allegations of misconduct or ethical violations by Supreme Court Justices. This committee will have the authority to recommend disciplinary action, including potential removal from the bench, if a Justice is found to have violated the code of ethics. Overall, the Supreme Court Ethics Act aims to promote transparency and accountability within the Supreme Court, ensuring that Justices are held to the same ethical standards as other branches of government. By establishing clear guidelines and oversight mechanisms, this bill seeks to uphold the integrity and impartiality of the highest court in the United States.

Congressional Summary of S 325

Supreme Court Ethics Act

This bill establishes a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts, including Justices of the Supreme Court. Currently, the Judicial Conference issues a code of conduct for judges of U.S. courts (but not for Justices of the Supreme Court).

To enforce the code of conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court, the bill requires the Supreme Court to appoint an ethics investigations counsel. The ethics investigations counsel must

adopt rules to enforce the code of conduct, including a process to receive public complaints of potential violations;
investigate complaints; and
issue an annual public report describing the complaints and the steps taken to address the complaints.

Finally, the bill requires a Justice of the Supreme Court to publicly disclose the reasons for disqualifying himself or herself in a proceeding or the reasons for denying a motion to disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding.

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Current Status of Bill S 325

Bill S 325 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since February 9, 2023. Bill S 325 was introduced during Congress 118 and was introduced to the Senate on February 9, 2023. Bill S 325's most recent activity was Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. as of February 9, 2023

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 325

Total Number of Sponsors

Democrat Sponsors

Republican Sponsors

Unaffiliated Sponsors

Total Number of Cosponsors

Democrat Cosponsors

Republican Cosponsors

Unaffiliated Cosponsors

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 325

Primary Policy Focus

Law

Potential Impact Areas

Employee performanceGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsJudgesSupreme Court

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 325

Supreme Court Ethics ActSupreme Court Ethics ActA bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to provide for a code of conduct for justices and judges of the courts of the United States, establish an ethics investigations counsel, and require disclosure of recusals.

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