Florida Code of Judicial Conduct · Preamble

Florida Code of Judicial Conduct — Preamble: Role of an Independent Judiciary

The Florida Code of Judicial Conduct, adopted by the Supreme Court of Florida, establishes mandatory ethical standards for county, circuit, district court of appeal, and supreme court judges across the state.

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1. Core Precepts of the Preamble

The Preamble affirms that the American legal system rests on an independent, fair, and competent judiciary. Judges, individually and collectively, must respect and honor the judicial office as a public trust and strive to maintain confidence in the legal system.

Unlike the Rules of Professional Conduct for advocates, the Canons are rules of reason applied in the context of all relevant circumstances, with the text of each Canon and Section serving as authoritative rules and the Commentary providing guidance.