CJ: Judges under increased attack by media

CHIEF Justice Ivor Archie says judges are being attacked by the media.

He was speaking Friday at the Ninth Biennial Meeting of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute held at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

"The reality of judicial office is changing. Judges are being drawn into sensitive social issues and we are coming under increased attack by the media."

He said this is an era of "confused values" and what some may regard as an "ethical crisis."

"New situations arise in all areas of society that require constant re-examination of ethical constraints and we are not immune from this process."

Archie said judges need to continually discuss and evaluate their role and conduct.

He said codes of judicial conduct provide standard to assess judicial behaviour and guides judges on what is and what is not acceptable behaviour.

"It is in these grey areas that the concept of judicial ethics becomes critically important. There would likely be widespread agreement that we should not abuse our positions of power but less agreement on what would constitute such abuse."