Opinion 09-120

July 13, 2009

Hon.

Dear Justice :

         This responds to your inquiry (09-120) asking whether it is ethically permissible for you to implement a procedure to distribute traffic tickets, originally returnable before you, to your co-judge in order to distribute them more equally between the two of you. The Committee views this as an administrative, not an ethical, issue. Therefore, you may wish to raise this situation with your supervising judge. The Committee notes that, according to the Uniform Civil Rules of the Justice Courts, it is the policy that each justice participate equally in the duties of the court (see 22 NYCRR 214.2[a]).

                                                Very truly yours,

                                                 George D. Marlow

                                                 Justice of the Supreme Court

                                                 Committee Chair