Canon 5

SECTION 5. Judges shall require

lawyers in proceedings before the
court to refrain from manifesting, by
words or conduct, bias or prejudice
based on irrelevant grounds, except
such as are legally relevant to an
issue in proceedings and may be the
subject of legitimate advocacy.

-Judges should conduct proceedings

in court with dignity and in a
manner that reflects the importance
and seriousness of proceedings.
They should maintain order and
proper decorum in the court.
-Since judges set the tone and
environment
of
the
court
proceedings, they should censure
lawyers who use sexist language or
inappropriate behavior in court.

-They should hold lawyers to the

requirements of Rule 12.07 of
the
Code
of
Professional
Responsibility which provides
that a lawyer shall not abuse,
browbeat or harass a witness nor
needlessly inconvenience him.
-Judges have the duty to prevent
lawyers from abusing witnesses
with unfair treatment.

As courts are expected to ensure equality, any

lawyer who makes an insensitive or demeaning
comment in court should be admonished.

People v. Bores

That the frightful experience of being

questioned about rape committed against
children requires the highest degree of tact,
patience and diplomacy. Thus, excessive
queries to a 6-year old child as to whether she
remembered
step-by-step
the
sexual
intercourse at the hands of the accused were
unnecessary and inappropriate.

Canon 6
SECTION 1. The judicial duties
of a judge take precedence
over all other activities.

- Though a judge has a duty to not sit where

disqualified, a judge has an equally strong
duty not to recuse himself when the
circumstances do not require recusal.
AMERICAN STATUTE
- mandates that a judge sit in a case unless
there is a reasonable question as to the
judges impartiality. Thus, a judge should not
recuse himself simply to avoid sitting on
difficult or controversial case.