A bill to amend chapter 57 of title 28, United States Code, to provide for a code of conduct for justices and judges of the courts of the United States, establish an Ethics Investigations Counsel, and require disclosure of recusals.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 23, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The Supreme Court Ethics Act would require the Supreme Court to establish a formal code of conduct for justices and create an independent Ethics Investigations Counsel to investigate potential violations of that code. The bill mandates that all federal judges adopt a code of conduct within one year of enactment, with the Supreme Court issuing its own version that incorporates existing recusal requirements. The Ethics Investigations Counsel would accept complaints from the public through mail and electronic submissions, conduct investigations into violations, and issue annual public reports on complaints received and actions taken. Additionally, the bill requires justices to publicly disclose their reasons whenever they recuse themselves from a case or deny a motion to disqualify themselves, increasing transparency in the recusal process. The legislation affects all nine Supreme Court justices and the broader federal judiciary, though the primary enforcement mechanisms focus on the Supreme Court.
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