Rule 3.090.Undue Recognition or Familiarity by Judge
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 3.090
Plain-English Summary
This rule points at the bench rather than at the parties. A judge is to refrain from showing undue recognition of, or familiarity with, any person in the courtroom. The object is anyone present: a lawyer the judge has known for years, a court employee, a party, a witness, or someone in the gallery.
The operative word is undue. The rule does not forbid courtesy, and it does not require a judge to pretend not to recognize a familiar face. What it targets is a display that signals special standing, because a litigant watching a warm exchange between the judge and opposing counsel is left wondering what that relationship means for their case. Appearances are the point.
The rule states a standard and stops there. It names no penalty, sets out no procedure for raising a concern, and leaves the judgment about what is undue to the moment and the setting. It sits alongside the other rules in this chapter that shape how the room feels: the seriousness of the oath, the limits on who may be inside the bar, and the handling of conferences in chambers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule stop a judge from greeting a lawyer they know?
Not by itself. The rule bars undue recognition or familiarity, which leaves room for ordinary courtesy.
What it reaches is a display of closeness that stands out from how the judge treats everyone else in the room.
Who does the rule cover?
It governs judges, and it applies to their conduct toward any person in the courtroom, not just toward the attorneys.
Is there a penalty in the rule?
No. The rule states a standard of conduct without attaching a sanction or a procedure to it.
Why does this matter if the judge is going to be impartial anyway?
The rule addresses what the courtroom looks like to the people in it. A litigant cannot see impartiality, but they can see a familiar greeting, and the rule asks judges not to give that impression in the first place.
Does the rule reach what happens outside the courtroom?
Its words are about the courtroom. Other rules in this chapter govern adjacent settings: UTCR 3.100 limits the use of chambers and the court's private entryway, and UTCR 3.110 governs conferences held in chambers.