Skip to main content

Professor Fair Weighs In On Conflict of Interest Question

March 23, 2015

Prof. Bryan Fair says there are few fixed rules to guide judges when a conflict of interest question arises.

Factors other than a judge’s prior association could cause a judge to recuse himself from a case. For example, sometimes a judge may decide he will not to preside over cases in which litigants have spent a large amount of money supporting or opposing his campaign.

“It has to be a fairly egregious case,” Fair said. “I’m not aware of a clear standard. Judges have a fair amount of discretion.”

For more, read “Did Justice Tom Parker’s Past Affiliation With Gay Marriage Litigant Represent Conflict Of Interest?”


The University of Alabama School of Law strives to remain neutral on issues of public policy. The Law School’s communications team may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Law School, the University, or affiliated leadership.