Lawyers and judges are all a big club. They know each other, they have lunches and dinners with each other. Its not even hidden in most cases, and the impropriety destroys faith in the system.
They know each other, they have lunches and dinners with each other.
That, in and of itself, is not evidence of a conflict of interests. If it were happening while a particular case was in trial, THAT would be a problem. But in my 38 years of experience as a litigator and a judge, the vast majority of the judges I know will avoid or shut down ANY ex parte communication on a case currently before them.