Labor and Employment Practices

If the issue was before my court, I would determine that the judge is guilty of misconduct and does not deserve to hold a position in the judiciary. It is important that judges and people in other law enforcement institutions act with utmost integrity and promote confidence in the institutions that they work for. Justice Eakin’s actions undermine the integrity of the court and affect the people’s confidence in the judiciary. The Code of Conduct for United States Judges stipulates how judges should act in public and private. The second canon of the code of conduct states that a “judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities” (“Code of Conduct,” 2014). The canon requires judges to act with integrity at all times in public and in private. Justice Eakin disregarded the canon when he exchanged derogatory emails from his private account. Although it was from his private email account, the judge acted with bigotry, sexism, and racism. Officeholders in law enforcement institutions are supposed to uphold the constitutional laws and avoid discriminatory actions. 

Eakin failed to live up to the obligations of the office that he held. As a justice, Eakin was a custodian of the law and it was required of him to protect it at all times. Actions that contradict the constitution and code of conduct affect the image of the judiciary. Although the there was no misconduct in his judicial rulings and decisions, Eakin’s actions were morally wrong. He ought to have known that his duty to protect the integrity of the judiciary superseded personal preferences and opinions. He failed to live up to the terms to which he swore and as a result, he deserves an exit from the judiciary. His actions violated the rule of law and the moral obligations of the civil servants. 

References 

Code of Conduct for United States Judges. (2014, March 20). Retrieved April 19, 2018, from http://www.uscourts.gov/judges-judgeships/code-conduct-united-states-judges#c