Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was reported making confident comments about the Supreme Court Justices’ ability to address their internal ethical issues.
The comment was made during an engagement with the Federal Bar Association of Massachusetts, where he was addressing recent calls for the highest court to adopt a code of ethics. These calls came after controversies surrounding unreported gifts and loans to supreme court justices. Law360
“They’ll come up with something,” Breyer stated, implying his faith in the Justices’ ability to resolve these matters. He further added that during his tenure at the court, queries on ethics were taken significantly seriously and involved extensive reading and discussions among the Justices.
Despite Breyer’s sentiments, he confessed that recent reports may not portray that justices still maintain and value this kind of seriousness about ethical concerns. However, he remains optimistic that the Court’s justices would find a way to address these issues effectively. Above the Law
His confidence comes amid controversial calls for the Supreme Court to establish a code of ethics to guide the conduct and behavior of the justices. Many believe that adopting such guideline could further uphold the integrity of the Court and its dealings.