During a judicial conference in Sacramento, Justice Elena Kagan defended the code of conduct established by the Supreme Court last year. She acknowledged the need for an enforcement mechanism to enhance the effectiveness of the rules.
The ethics code was introduced by the nine justices in response to heightened scrutiny in 2023, following investigative reports highlighting alleged ethical breaches by some justices. The code aimed to address concerns raised by Democratic lawmakers and others regarding the lack of a formal code of conduct for Supreme Court members.
