Ethics and Judicial Integrity under the Bangalore Principles

Abstract

Magistrates must demonstrate judicial seriousness and professional rectitude because they do not exercise their profession in an erratic environment devoid of moral valences, but on the contrary, the judicial field is one that must highlight the existence of independent, impartial, efficient and integral justice, representing a basic parameter of a democratic state of law. It is unanimously recognized that the magistracy represents, above all, an ethical duty, which can only have positive results if the magistrate exercises this function by providing proof of integrity. However, this perception is not sufficient to ensure the independence and integrity of the judiciary and, implicitly, society's trust in it. Moreover, it is necessary for magistrates to carry out their daily work based on the ethical responsibility of the important office they hold. KEYWORDS: Ethics, justice, magistrate, integrity, impartiality, judicial equality