7/16/2006

It is fine for New York Judges to Keep Guns Under Their Robes While They are On the Bench

Another example of where an anti-gun jurisdiction recognizes how useful guns are in protecting people:

NEW YORK Jul 15, 2006 (AP)— It's one way to assure order in the court.

The New York state Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics has ruled that it is permissible for judges to pack a pistol beneath their robes while on the bench.

"From an ethical standpoint, there is no prohibition … barring you from carrying a firearm while performing your duties on the bench," the committee said in a decision published in this week's New York Law Journal.

Judges would have to comply with existing laws to bring a gun into court.

The committee was asked by one of the state's 3,400 judges whether it was "ethically permissible" to carry a pistol into the courtroom. And though it ruled in favor of pistol-packing jurists, the committee warned that judges must "be patient, dignified and courteous" to those appearing before the bench and behave in "a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary." . . . .

7 Comments:

Blogger John Lott said...

Dear Saturdaynightspecial:

I think that there are strong benefits from anyone keeping a gun concealed in that others will not know in advance whether a particular judge is armed or not. Otherwise those who seek to attack will know for sure who is disarmed and for the others exactly where the gun is.

7/16/2006 7:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think, perhaps, that SNS was being sarcastic...commenting on the absurdity of laws that affect us Joe Shmoes, forcing us to expose our firearms in certain locations.

7/17/2006 10:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I thought court houses were "gun free zones" - or is that just for Federal Courts?

7/17/2006 1:02 PM  
Blogger John Lott said...

Dear Nimrod45:

Not everyone is banned from having a gun in a court house, for example, police, DAs, and obviously judges.

Dear saturdaynightspecial:

I would just say that there are trade-offs on keeping the gun concealed versus in front of the judge. You are possibly right that it would be easier to get a hold of the gun faster if it were in front of the judge, though it might also be more easily taken from him. But I also still think that there are strong benefits from anyone keeping a gun concealed in that others will not know in advance whether a particular judge is armed or not. I am not taking anything away from your point, but that there are other points to consider. I also think that in a court room that it is immportant to keep the gun under physical control. Thanks.

7/17/2006 3:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Not everyone is banned from having a gun in a court house, for example, police, DAs, and obviously judges.


Police and Corrections Officers, naturally, but I wasn't aware that DAs and Judges were exempt, too.

Special rules for special people, I guess...

7/17/2006 9:12 PM  
Blogger John Lott said...

Thanks very much for the comment, Saturdaynightspecial. Getting people to know that Judges carry guns, could be very useful. I guess the question is what is the best way for that to happen.

7/18/2006 4:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Many Town and Village Courts are small affairs, with little or no security. Metal detectors, guards, secure entrances, and other measures simply aren't available in many upstate areas. To allow judges to carry concealed may be the only protection some of them have within their courts. Even though these courts are small, they still deal with alleged criminals and disgruntled civil litigants. Why should they be asked to do their duty without some form of self defense?

8/30/2006 10:13 PM  

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