Supreme Court adopts automated recusal software to avoid ethics conflicts; CNN, February 17, 2026

Tierney Sneed, CNN; Supreme Court adopts automated recusal software to avoid ethics conflicts

"The Supreme Court said Tuesday that it will start using software to assist in justices’ decisions to recuse themselves from cases that present a potential conflict of interest.

A brief press release issued by the court described an electronic matching process already used by some lower courts to compare a case’s parties to lists judges assemble of individuals and organizations they have ties to. A 2023 code of conduct statement from the justices said they were considering adopting such a tool themselves.

“This software will be used to run automated recusal checks by comparing information about parties and attorneys in a case with lists created by each Justice’s chambers,” the press release said. “The system was designed and created by the Court’s Office of Information Technology in cooperation with the Court’s Legal Office and Clerk’s Office.”"

Ginni and Clarence Thomas draw questions about Supreme Court ethics; ABC News, February 8, 2022

Devin Dwyer andGabriella Abdul-Hakim, ABC News; Ginni and Clarence Thomas draw questions about Supreme Court ethics

"There are no explicit ethics guidelines that govern the activities of a justice's spouse, experts say, but there are rules about justices avoiding conflicts of interest. Federal law requires federal judges to recuse from cases whenever their "impartiality might reasonably be questioned."

Roth notes, however, that there is no independent enforcement mechanism in place; it's entirely up to the individual justice...

Members of Congress and outside experts say new enforceable ethics rules for the court are needed now more than ever. Even Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged in his 2021 year-end report that "public trust is essential, not incidental" to the court's function. ​

But Roberts opposes outside efforts to impose a new ethics code."

EDITORIALLY SPEAKING: Ethics code should steer conduct; Muskogee Phoenix, August 9, 2017

Muskogee Phoenix Editorial Board; EDITORIALLY SPEAKING: Ethics code should steer conduct

"The document requires everyone to sign a confidentiality agreement before entering an executive session. Anyone who refuses to sign the agreement will not be allowed into the meeting.

We would hope that anyone who is elected to public office would have the integrity and character to understand that what happens in executive session must stay in executive session. That is, after all, the entire point of an executive session.

We would hope anyone elected to public office would not need a piece of paper to ensure ethical conduct."