Canon 4 New Jersey Rules of Court, Canon 4: Part 1 Appendix (CCJE): Canon 4, rendered as code with every cross-reference linked

rule Canon 4 "Part 1 Appendix (CCJE): Canon 4" {
Canon 4 -- Avoiding Actual or Apparent Conflicts of Interest
Court employees shall regulate outside activities to minimize the risk of conflict with court-related duties. Generally a conflict of interest exists when the court employee's objective ability or independence of judgment in the performance of his or her job is impaired or reasonably may appear to be impaired. Outside employment or other activities, whether related to judicial administration or not, must not involve the court employee in conflict of interest nor appear to do so, nor encroach on or conflict with judiciary-related duties.
Comment: A conflict of interest involving a court employee can seriously undermine the community's confidence and trust in the court system. Therefore, every court employee is required to exercise diligence in becoming aware of his or her own conflicts of interest, and in ending them when they arise. Care must be taken that outside interests are not so extensive or of such a nature as to impair the ability to perform court-related duties.
Guideline:
(a) A conflict of interest exists when the court employee, or the employee's immediate family, as defined below, or the employee's business would derive advantage as a result of official action taken by the employee. No conflict of interest exists if any benefit accrues to the employee or the employee's immediate family as a member of a profession, business, or group to the same extent as any other member of the profession, business, or group who does not hold a position within the court system.
(b) For the purposes of this Code, "immediate family" shall include all members of the employee's household, as well as the following, whether related by marriage or by adoption: spouse or the substantial equivalent; child; foster child; brother; sister; parent; grandparent; grandchild; father-in-law; mother-in-law; sister-in-law; brother-in-law; son-in-law; daughter-in-law; stepfather; stepmother; stepson; stepdaughter; stepbrother; stepsister; half-brother; half-sister; nephew; niece; aunt; uncle; children of an aunt or uncle.
(c) Prohibited activities under this Canon include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Entering into any contract with the court system apart from the employment contract relating to the employee's position, or using that position to assist any member of his or her immediate family in securing a contract with the court system in a manner not available to any other interested party.
(2) Receiving any unauthorized compensation for assisting or consulting with parties engaged in transactions or involved in proceedings with the court system.
(3) Participating in any official decision involving an entity or person outside the court system with whom either the court employee or any member of the employee's immediate family is negotiating for future employment.
(4) Engaging in official transactions with any former employee for one year after the former employee's termination of employment: (a) with regard to any matter in which the former employee had been substantially involved; or (b) with regard to any financial matter if the former employee had held a position in the same office.
(d) [text deleted]
(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit an employee from receiving a reasonable commercial loan made as part of the ordinary transaction of the lender's business.
Note: Canon 4 adopted December 7, 1993, to be effective immediately; text of Guideline (d) deleted June 4, 2002 to be effective immediately.
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referenced_by: none
source: njcourts.gov // verbatim; changed 2025-11-05; corpus harvested 2026-09-02