Judicial Corruption as a Violation of Professional Ethics

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present some ethical issues facing the Indonesian judiciary by exploring the usefulness of judicial codes of ethics. The ethical crisis of judges occurred at a time when judicial independence was strong post the amendment of the 1945 Constitution. The judicial crises triggered uncertainty and pessimism about judicial accountability Theoretical framework: Legal literature states that fair, honest, and impartial legal processes cannot be separated from that of ​​an independent judiciary [Shugermann, 2010: 1061]. The independence and impartiality of the court as one of the ten minimum conditions for creating a constitutional society. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, the author conducted normative legal research. This method helps examine the juridical standards contained in laws and court decisions. Furthermore, library research was conducted to obtain data from primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials. Findings: Despite the judiciary gaining strong independence following the amendments of the 1945 Constitution in 2001–2002, unfortunately, the judiciary suffers from an accountability crisis, as seen through the arrests of several judges for bribery. Research, Practical & Social implications: We hope that this research can bring awareness and increase adherence to the code of ethics of the judicial profession. Originality/value: It is hoped that the ideas and issues raised in this paper will help the judiciary recognize the importance of developing, maintaining, and, most importantly, honouring a code of ethics in keeping with the ethical obligations of the judicial office.