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Supreme Court Committee:
Judge May Perform Ceremonial Swearing-in
By a MetNews Staff Writer
A judge may ethically conduct a ceremonial swearing in of new admittees to the State Bar even if they have already been inducted, the California Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions said in an opinion issued yesterday.
It declared:
“A judicial officer may ethically conduct a ceremonial swearing-in for new attorneys who have already executed the attorney’s oath, provided that the judge makes clear to participants and observers that the proceeding is solely a reaffirmation of the oath and not the official act of admission. When framed in this manner, the ceremony is consistent with the Code of Judicial Ethics, as it upholds public confidence in the judiciary while allowing new admittees to be recognized in an appropriately celebratory fashion.”
The committee recited that it is already established that “[a] judge may perform a ‘mock ceremony’ (i.e. where the marriage is not being officially solemnized, such as where the parties are already married, or where they intend to get married at a later date) so long as the judge makes clear that they are not actually solemnizing the marriage.”
It declared that “[a] ceremonial swearing-in of new admittees to the State Bar, conducted with the proper clarification that the ceremony is a reaffirmation, is a permissible and dignified judicial activity.”
The State Bar, it was noted that “now allows digital signing and processing of oath cards via DocuSign, and you can take the oath inperson, or virtually before a judge, justice, clerk of court, or anyone else authorized to administer oaths.”
Yesterday’s advice came in Expedited Opinion 2025-052.
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