Judges on Twitter? Ethical guidance for those on the bench under review
TORONTO — Whether Canadian judges should be active on Twitter, Facebook or other social media and what involvement they should have in community life are among issues under a review that aims to modernize ethical guidance for those on the bench.
As part of the first such update in 20 years, the body that regulates judicial conduct has launched consultations as a way to gauge public sentiment on acceptable conduct for federally appointed judges as it seeks to update and streamline its guide: “Ethical Principles for Judges.”
“As society evolves, so do the ethical issues that judges sometimes face,” Chief Justice Richard Wagner said in a statement.
While bedrock principles for judges such as integrity, independence and impartiality are not up for debate, the review focuses on six themes — some new, some in need of updating: Social media, public engagement, post-retirement, self-represented litigants, case management, settlement conferences and judicial mediation, and professional development.