The question of recusal was put to Justices Breyer and Scalia at a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing by Senator Durbin. Listen to the webcast.
I wrote a letter to Senator Feinstein regarding ethical regulations for the Justices of the United States Supreme Court. Her answer: "Federal law requires Justices and Federal judges to disqualify themselves from any case in which their impartiality may reasonably be questioned. The law, United States Code, Title 28, Section 455, lays out the criteria that Federal judges should consider when determining whether to recuse themselves from hearing a case, such as whether the judge has any personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, whether the judge previously served in private practice or the government as a lawyer for one of the parties, or whether the judge or his or her spouse has a financial interest in the subject matter" |