The duty of judges in New South Wales is to administer justice according to the law, without favor and without regard to executive government policies. Judges should respect and maintain independence and should be impartial and fair in the administration of justice. In particular, judges should be familiar with the essential requirements of fairness in the conduct of court proceedings. They should give both parties the opportunity to present evidence and arguments and should approach decision making with an open mind. Judicial competence is also an important characteristic of judges, and judges should maximize the assistance they receive from counsel in an effort to conduct court cases in a competent manner. Judges should not suppress their individuality or conform to tedious and inflexible routines. Rather, they should recognize the work of administering justice is important and honorable. 2 endnotes