Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has outlined a potential framework for enforcing the high court's recently established code of ethics.

According to Just the News, Kagan suggested that a panel of lower court judges could be appointed to oversee and enforce the code created last year in response to growing concerns about ethical standards among the justices.

Speaking at the New York University School of Law on Monday, Kagan proposed that Chief Justice John Roberts could appoint a panel of lower court judges to review allegations of ethical misconduct.

This panel would be tasked with filtering out baseless claims while giving due attention to more substantiated concerns.

Panel's Role In Maintaining Judicial Integrity

Kagan emphasized the importance of such a panel in upholding the integrity of the Supreme Court. She argued that this approach could help ensure compliance with the ethics code and boost public confidence in the institution.

The justice addressed potential criticisms head-on, dismissing concerns that lower court judges might be overly deferential to Supreme Court justices.

Kagan expressed confidence in the ability of judges across the country to approach this task with fairness and seriousness.

Kagan stated:

It seems like a good idea in terms of ensuring that we comply with our own code of conduct going forward in the future. It seems like a good idea in terms of ensuring that people have confidence that we're doing exactly that.

Addressing Concerns About Unfounded Allegations

One of the key benefits of the proposed panel, according to Kagan, would be its ability to distinguish between credible and unfounded allegations against justices. This distinction is particularly important in an era where unfounded charges can easily gain traction.

Kagan addressed this issue directly, stating:

I mean, there's like lots of ability now to make unfounded charges about what justices do and don't do. So I don't really see how it would increase that.

The justice's proposal comes amid increased scrutiny of the Supreme Court's ethical practices, with Democratic lawmakers pressing for more robust oversight in recent months.

Responses From Other Justices And Lawmakers

While Kagan's proposal has garnered attention, it remains unclear how her colleagues on the bench view the idea. As of now, no other Supreme Court justice has publicly commented on Kagan's suggestion to enforce the code of ethics.

However, fellow liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recently expressed openness to an "enforceable" ethics code, though she did not endorse any specific method. This indicates that there may be some support for strengthening ethical oversight within the court.

Democratic lawmakers have been particularly vocal about the need for stronger ethical guidelines. They have criticized the current code of ethics as "ineffective," particularly in light of recent allegations against Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.

The debate over Supreme Court ethics has intensified in recent months, with various proposals being put forward to address concerns.

Kagan's suggestion of a lower court panel represents one potential solution to the ongoing discussion about how best to ensure ethical conduct at the highest level of the judiciary.

Conclusion

Justice Kagan has proposed a panel of lower court judges to enforce the Supreme Court's ethics code. She believes this would help ensure compliance and boost public confidence. The proposal comes amid increased scrutiny of the court's ethical practices.

While other justices haven't publicly commented, Justice Jackson has expressed openness to an enforceable ethics code. Democratic lawmakers continue to press for stronger ethical guidelines for the Supreme Court.