US Supreme Court Chief Justice's Year-End Report on Judiciary

US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts published his year-end report on the American federal judiciary on the weekend.

In the report, Roberts indirectly addresses the controversy over whether two justices on the Court should recuse themselves in an upcoming case on the constitutionality of a healthcare law:

"Some observers have recently questioned whether the Judicial Conference’s Code of Conduct for United States Judges should apply to the Supreme Court. I would like to use my annual report this year to address that issue, as well as some other related issues that have recently drawn public attention. The space constraints of the annual report prevent me from setting out a detailed dissertation on judicial ethics. And my judicial responsibilities preclude me from commenting on any ongoing debates about particular issues or the constitutionality of any enacted legislation or pending proposals. But I can provide some clarification on how the Justices address ethical issues and dispel some common misconceptions."

Among other things, Roberts describes the principles that govern judicial recusal.