The Ohio Supreme Court has approved two amendments to the Code of Judicial Conduct that revise certain requirements for judicial campaigns.

Among the changes:

• Jud.Cond.R. 4.1(A)(5) and (6) have been amended as follows:

  Jud.Cond.R. 4.1(A)(5), (A) A judge or judicial candidate shall not do any of the following:

  (5) Make any statement or comment that would reasonably be expected to affect the outcome or impair the fairness of a matter known to be pending or impending in any court in the United States or its territories.

  Jud. Cond.R. 4.1(A)(6) now reads:

  (A) A judge or judicial candidate shall not do any of the following:

  (6) In connection with cases, controversies, or issues that are likely to come before the court, make pledges, promises, or commitments that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of judicial office.

• Jud.Cond.R. 4.6(N).  The Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct now requires certain words used in judicial campaign materials, such as advertisements, to appear in “prominent lettering.”

  The amendment revises the definition of “prominent lettering” to mean not less than the physical size of the largest type used to display the title of office or the court to which the judicial candidate seeks election, irrespective of the point size or font of the largest type.

The revisions were effective Aug. 1.

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