Judges allowed to pack gun under robes
New York judges still urged to be ‘patient, dignified, courteous’

Saturday, July 15, 2006; Posted: 9:49 p.m. EDT (01:49 GMT)

NEW YORK (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.”

How to achieve that while armed?

“This committee believes that keeping your firearm concealed and safeguarded
on your person while you are on the bench is advisable,” the ruling said.