Such counsel from the JQC should definitively address the ethical propriety of the remarks and other questioned behavior about which the Commission received public testimony. The Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct should preserve the current gender neutral language. The hallmark of the State's judicial ethics code should be complemented by promotion of gender neutral application of the laws. The Georgia Code of Judicial Conduct should be modified to incorporate a contemporary provision guarding against voluntary judicial membership in organizations that practice invidious discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, or national origin. This may be accomplished by adopting Canon 2 C., and the accompanying Commentary, of the ABA's 1990 Model Code of Judicial Conduct.
Judges have an affirmative duty to combat discrimination.
Judicial demeanor in realms outside of adjudication and court administrations should be guided by respect for cultural diversity. Canon 4 A., along with accompanying commentary, of the ABA's 1990 Model Code of Judicial Conduct should be adopted. Recruitment, appointment and compensation of potential staff members shall be made without regard to gender, race, creed or national origin. In representing a client, a member of the bar shall refrain from engaging in conduct that exhibits or is intended to appeal to or engender, bias against a person on account of that person's gender, race, religion, or national origin, whether that conduct is direct to other counsel, court personnel, witnesses, parties, jurors, judges, judicial officers, or any other participants. If possible, this training shall be provided in a form that involves judges as active participants and not merely as an audience.