can a federal judge write a LOR? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only available to the creator of each thread. The anonymous posting feature is intended to permit the solicitation of anonymous advice regarding the transfer application process, chances of being accepted, etc. Unacceptable uses include: testing the feature, questions which are clearly fake or hypothetical in nature, harassing other users, etc. Posters should also read and understand the announcements posted at the top of the Transfers forum prior to using the anonymous feature.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only available to the creator of each thread. The anonymous posting feature is intended to permit the solicitation of anonymous advice regarding the transfer application process, chances of being accepted, etc. Unacceptable uses include: testing the feature, questions which are clearly fake or hypothetical in nature, harassing other users, etc. Posters should also read and understand the announcements posted at the top of the Transfers forum prior to using the anonymous feature.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
-
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:55 am
can a federal judge write a LOR?
is a federal judge or a US Magistrate judge allowed to write letters of recommendation or is this prohibited by some judicial committee rules?
I am working for a magistrate judge this summer and I was mentioning to the secretary that I had turned in an application to transfer to this one school and she told me that the judge teaches as an adjunct at the school I'm applying.
When he came back she told him and even though I've only known him about a month, he said "use me as a reference!"
So 2 questions:
1. since I didn't have the guts to ask for a letter of rec. right then and there, I'm just wondering if it's worth it to ask him now or if would just be embarrassing since he didn't offer (and maybe he cant?)
2. if i didn't would it be worth the bother even to send a quick letter supplementing my application saying please use so-and-so judge as a reference.?
I am working for a magistrate judge this summer and I was mentioning to the secretary that I had turned in an application to transfer to this one school and she told me that the judge teaches as an adjunct at the school I'm applying.
When he came back she told him and even though I've only known him about a month, he said "use me as a reference!"
So 2 questions:
1. since I didn't have the guts to ask for a letter of rec. right then and there, I'm just wondering if it's worth it to ask him now or if would just be embarrassing since he didn't offer (and maybe he cant?)
2. if i didn't would it be worth the bother even to send a quick letter supplementing my application saying please use so-and-so judge as a reference.?
-
- Posts: 908
- Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:57 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
I would use it.jimmy wrote:is a federal judge or a US Magistrate judge allowed to write letters of recommendation or is this prohibited by some judicial committee rules?
I am working for a magistrate judge this summer and I was mentioning to the secretary that I had turned in an application to transfer to this one school and she told me that the judge teaches as an adjunct at the school I'm applying.
When he came back she told him and even though I've only known him about a month, he said "use me as a reference!"
So 2 questions:
1. since I didn't have the guts to ask for a letter of rec. right then and there, I'm just wondering if it's worth it to ask him now or if would just be embarrassing since he didn't offer (and maybe he cant?)
2. if i didn't would it be worth the bother even to send a quick letter supplementing my application saying please use so-and-so judge as a reference.?
As far as I know there is nothing to bar a fed. judge as opposed to any other judge from writing a letter.
Just because he didn't offer doesn't mean he wouldn't want to. Don't forget that judges have been out of the loop for a while and may not even know that transfers require personal recommendations. Just let him know what the procedure is and ask. Leave it to your judge to say yes or no. Don't do it for him/her.
- ggocat
- Posts: 1825
- Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:51 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
TCR, although I know some federal judges refuse to write recommendation letters even for their clerks.rando wrote:Leave it to your judge to say yes or no. Don't do it for him/her.
-
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:55 am
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
I've been searching but I can't really find anything on it, so the only reason I ask is because one person I know mentioned that typically u.s. judges couldn't write letters because some rules identified that as a conflict of interest.
I'm just basically trying to avoid any awkwardness that might ensue since he didn't outright say that he would "write" me a letter and asking him might be weird.
I mean, supposing I don't ask him for a rec, does providing a letter saying you may use this person (albeit he teaches as an adjunct there) as a reference do ANYTHING?
The question I suppose is: is it letter of recommendation or bust?
I'm just basically trying to avoid any awkwardness that might ensue since he didn't outright say that he would "write" me a letter and asking him might be weird.
I mean, supposing I don't ask him for a rec, does providing a letter saying you may use this person (albeit he teaches as an adjunct there) as a reference do ANYTHING?
The question I suppose is: is it letter of recommendation or bust?
- ggocat
- Posts: 1825
- Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:51 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
Get over it.jimmy wrote:I'm just basically trying to avoid any awkwardness that might ensue

It couldn't hurt.jimmy wrote:I mean, supposing I don't ask him for a rec, does providing a letter saying you may use this person (albeit he teaches as an adjunct there) as a reference do ANYTHING?
No.jimmy wrote:The question I suppose is: is it letter of recommendation or bust?
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 11453
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:54 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
Reference only. Conflict of interest is a huge consideration.
-
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:07 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
I've been wondering, on similar lines, whether the judge that you intern for your 1L summer can recommend you to judges you apply for clerkships with later. You'd think that would carry more weight than a professor, however well-known, saying "I've taught this guy and he's smart," but I'm not sure judges are in the habit of writing LORs.
- Jordan77
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:52 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
My fed judge I externed for said to use him as a reference, but said he does not do actual LORs. I think they have the discretion to write LORs, especially for clerks, but a lot of judges probably prefer you just use them as a reference so that they don't cross the CJC line of what is unacceptable.
-
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:36 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
I think most everyone on here is right. From what I have heard, a lot of judges prefer not to write letters. However, it is definitely discretionary, because one of my LORs for clerkships is from the District Court Judge I externed for.
Doesn't hurt to ask, especially if you frame it first as a question about whether they have a policy one way or the other.
Doesn't hurt to ask, especially if you frame it first as a question about whether they have a policy one way or the other.
-
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 1:29 am
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
Most judges do not write LORs, but they allow you to use them as a reference. However, I think this is just a discretionary decision (I interned for a Federal Judge this summer and he wrote a LOR for me)
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:15 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
I asked a magistrate judge who used to be my dad's lawyer for a rec, and he told me its a violation of the federal rules of judicial conduct.
-
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:36 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
i think the rules say judges aren't supposed to "use the prestige of the judicial office to advance the private interests of others" or something like that. i don't think that this has ever necessarily been read to mean they can't write LORs to law students. i think the credited response is still that it is just a matter of each individual judge's policy on the matter.toddyman8 wrote:I asked a magistrate judge who used to be my dad's lawyer for a rec, and he told me its a violation of the federal rules of judicial conduct.
-
- Posts: 680
- Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:07 pm
Re: can a federal judge write a LOR?
If I were a tad more neurotic I might walk in tomorrow morning and be like, "sooooo, do you feel like sending a letter about how awesome my bench memos have been to Harvard?" She is very enthusiastic about my transfer chances, but I don't think that would go over very well.
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login