Courts and Inside Information: What Can and Should We Do with What We Learn at Work?

Court Leader's Advantage

September 22, 2022, A Question of Ethics Episode: A Conversation on Courts and Ethics

We are not stockbrokers or day traders, but in our role as court employees we learn a lot. We know about patterns of litigation against businesses and against professionals in the community. We know about protection orders filed against real estate agents; we know about leaking basement litigation; we know about roofing contract litigation. Many cases are sealed and confidential, but most are wide open and available to the public if it takes the time to do the research. Due to the nature of our jobs, we learn about inside information more frequently than the public.

· What is the appropriate use of this information?

· Have you ever applied information obtained at work to our personal lives?

· Do you think it is appropriate for front line staff to share inside court information?

· Are there some applications of inside information that are ethically okay?

Today’s Moderator

Karl Thoennes: Court Administrator for the Second Judicial Circuit, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Today’s Panel

Dawn Palermo: Judicial Administrator for the Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court in Harvey, Louisiana

Kent Pankey: Senior Planner for the Supreme Court of Virginia

Peter Kiefer: Retired Court Professional

Eric Silverberg: Court Administrator for the City Court in Tucson, Arizona