A newly appointed or elected judge may continue practicing law until they take their seat on the bench, according to the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee.

An assistant state attorney had asked the panel to weigh in on the matter since they are the lead attorney on a homicide case tried to verdict. The sentencing hearing is set for December 1, and the assistant state attorney will begin work as a judge on December 4.

Not only is it okay for the new judge to continue practicing law until their start date, but it has been since 1974, the advisory group pointed out in Opinion Number: 2023-10, released November 21.