Adopted by the ABA House of Delegates in 1983, the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct have served as a model for ethics rules in most jurisdictions, including North Carolina. The vast majority of states, including the District of Columbia, have adopted some form of these model rules. According to a 2017 report from the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility ("CPR") Policy Implementation Committee, 49 of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, have adopted some form of the rules, with or without the comments. Only California has not adopted the Model Rules.
Since first issuing the 1908 Canons of Professional Ethics, followed by the 1969 Model Code of Professional Responsibility, the ABA has maintained a presence in the world of legal ethics, evaluating and amending the model rules to the present day. Pending, and recent amendments to the rules can be found on the ABA's Professional Responsibility webpage.
A collection of the most recent ABA Formal Opinions are also available at the ABA CPR Resource page, or they may be accessed directly here. Scroll down the page to Other Center Resources for information and links to other sources. Opinions from the full library after 1983 are available online or for purchase individually (pdf format) at the CPR Publications page.
Model Rules of Professional Conduct, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL: The Association (1992- ), available in the UNC Law Library at KF305.A2 M571 2019.
Annotated Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Center for Professional Responsibility, American Bar Association (9th ed., eds. Ellen J. Bennett et al., 2019), available in the UNC Law Library at KF305 .A26 2019.
Compendium of Professional Responsibility Rules and Standards, Center for Professional Responsibility, American Bar Association (2019).
Includes all ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Model Code of Professional Responsibility, as well as the Model Code of Judicial Conduct, selected federal rules and standards, and selected ABA formal ethics opinions.
Available at the UNC Law Library at KF 305.A2 2019.
American Bar Association Ethics Materials can also be found online, as follows.
Through the American Bar Association website.
Comparison Tables
ABA Formal Ethics Opinions since 1984, searchable by issue subject or by date.
Through UNC Libraries (Westlaw), with account access.
ABA Ethics Opinions & Secondary Sources (indexed list, including rules and commentary).
On Lexis, with account access.
ABA Formal Ethics Opinions (since 1924).
ABA Informal Ethics Opinions (from December 31, 1959 through October 20, 1989), no longer updated.
The Model Code of Judicial Conduct was first adopted by the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association on August 7, 1990 and amended over subsequent years, most recently in August 2010, the online at the ABA website. Included on the ABA website are links to the Comments, a Spanish translation of the code, and the opportunity to purchase a hard copy of the annotated version.
Information about ABA activities in the area of judicial conduct can be found on their website at the Judicial Ethics & Regulation page.
Resources on the ABA's Judicial Code Revision Project are also available online. Included here are links to the various ABA resources, including ABA reports and articles and state resources.
The ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct (2007) is available in the UNC Law Library, as follows (select list).
Compendium of Professional Responsibility Rules and Standards, Center for Professional Responsibility, American Bar Association (2019).
Includes all ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Model Code of Professional Responsibility, as well as the Model Code of Judicial Conduct, selected federal rules and standards, and selected ABA formal ethics opinions.
Available at the UNC Law Library at KF 305.A2 2019.
Reporter's Notes to the Model Code of Judicial Conduct, Charles G. Geyh & W. William Hodes (Chicago : ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, c2009). Available in the Law Library at KF8779 .G49 2009, and includes judicial canons, commentary and reporter's notes.
The ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct is also available online at the following sources.
At Lexis (with account access), the following resources -- along with the ABA Model Code of Professional Conduct -- are accessed via the same page.
Model Code of Judicial Conduct (1997, 1999, 2007, and 2010 versions including the most recent amendments in 2009).
Annotated Model Code of Judicial Conduct (3d Ed.).
At Westlaw (with account access), includes judicial canons and commentary, with links to secondary sources.
Model Code of Judicial Conduct (2010).
American Bar Association Judicial Ethics Materials can also be found online, as follows:
Lawyer Law : Comparing the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct with the ALI Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers, Thomas D. Morgan (American Law Institute, American Bar Association) (2005)
This ALI-ABA publication connects the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct with its related Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers, including commentary from both sources and representative cases.
Table of Contents includes Model Rule and Restatement section reference.
Available at UNC Law Library at KF306 .M667 2005.
A Legislative History : The Development of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, 1982-2005, Center for Professional Responsibility (American Bar Association) (3d ed. 2006)
Available at the UNC Law Library at KF306 .L45 2006.
Available online (Westlaw), with account access.
