Does the American Bar Association Have any Guidelines to Prevent Discrimination in the Courtroom?

The American Bar Association (ABA) has a rule that prohibits lawyers from discriminating against or harassing any individual based on race, sex, religion, disability, pregnancy, national origin, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status. The rule protects counsel, defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or any individual involved in the process of practicing the law from sexist, derogatory, or offensive verbal or physical actions. These and other condescending or inappropriate gestures are now defined by the ABA as “harmful verbal and physical conduct that manifests bias or prejudice toward others.” Lawyers who knowingly engage in this type of behavior are in direct violation of the rule and subject to penalty.