AB 679

Under current law, a judge or justice is required to disqualify himself or herself

from presiding over or deciding any legal action under certain circumstances that

render the judge or justice incapable of acting in an impartial manner or that make

it appear that the judge or justice cannot act in an impartial manner.

This bill requires a judge or justice to disqualify himself or herself from

presiding over or deciding any legal action if he or she was, within five years of the

date the action is commenced, represented by any legal counsel that represents a

party in the action. The bill also prohibits an attorney who represented a judge or

justice from appearing before that judge or justice within five years after his or her

representation ended.