Education

• University of Wisconsin B.A. 1980
• University of Wisconsin School of Law J.D. 1983

Courses

• Civil Procedure I (B533)
• Civil Procedure II (B534)
• The Legal Profession (B614)
• Seminar on Judicial Conduct (L714)

Background

• Selected as a 2016 Andrew Carnegie Fellow
• Special Counsel, Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, Washington, D.C. (1991)
• Counsel, United States House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, D.C. (1989-1991)
• Associate, Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C. (1984-1989)
• Clerk, Hon. Thomas A. Clark, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Atlanta, Ga. (1983-1984)

Biography

Professor Geyh teaches and writes in the areas of judicial conduct, ethics, procedure, independence, accountability, and administration. He is the author of Who Is to Judge? The Perennial Debate Over Whether to Elect or Appoint America’s Judges (Oxford University Press 2019); Courting Peril: The Political Transformation of the American Judiciary (Oxford University Press, 2015); When Courts and Congress Collide: The Struggle for Control of America's Judicial System (University of Michigan Press 2006); and Judicial Disqualification: An Analysis of Federal Law (3d ed. Federal Judicial Center 2020). In addition, he is coauthor of Judicial Conduct and Ethics (6th ed., Lexis Law Publishing 2020) (with Alfini, Lubet and Shaman); and Understanding Civil Procedure (6th ed. 2019) (with Shreve and Raven-Hansen); and editor of What's Law Got to Do With it? What Judges Do, Why They Do It, and What's at Stake (Stanford University Press 2011). His scholarship has appeared in over 100 books, articles, book chapters, reports, and other publications.

Geyh has served as an expert witness in the Senate impeachment trial of Federal District Judge G. Thomas Porteous; director of and consultant to the ABA Judicial Disqualification Project, and as reporter to four ABA commissions (the Joint Commission to Evaluate the Model Code of Judicial Conduct, the Commission on the 21st Century Judiciary, the Commission on the Public Financing of Judicial Campaigns, and the Commission on the Separation of Powers and Judicial Independence). He has likewise served as director of the American Judicature Society's Center for Judicial Independence; consultant to the Parliamentary Development Project on Judicial Independence and Administration for the Supreme Rada of Ukraine; assistant special counsel to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on the impeachment and removal of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen; consultant to the National Commission on Judicial Discipline and Removal; and legislative liaison to the Federal Courts Study Committee.

Geyh received his B.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin in 1980 and graduated from the University of Wisconsin law school in 1983, after which he clerked for the Honorable Thomas A. Clark on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, worked as an associate at the Washington D.C. law firm of Covington & Burling, and served as counsel to the United States House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, before beginning his teaching career in 1991. He joined the faculty at Indiana University in 1999, has served as the law school’s associate dean for research, and is the recipient of three faculty fellowships, three Trustees' Teaching Awards, and the Leon Wallace Teaching Award.

In 2016, Geyh was named an Andrew Carnegie Fellow, the recipient of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation to research and write his most recent book. Also in 2019, Indiana University named Geyh a Distinguished Professor, its most prestigious academic appointment.

In The Media

• Quoted in "Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events," ProPublica ( 09-22-2023 )
• Quoted in "Vigo Co. Judge Sheehan found in contempt of court in Owen Co.," WIBQ AM News ( 08-25-2023 )
• Quoted in "Dallas hedge fund manager claims judge turned him into a book villain," Dallas News ( 07-31-2023 )
• Quoted in "Judge's Fictional Thriller Sparks Real-Life Courtroom Drama," Wall Street Journal ( 07-29-2023 )
• Quoted in "'Shady and corrupt': Watchdog group sounds the alarm over Amy Coney Barrett real estate deal," Slate ( 06-23-2023 )
• Quoted in "'Shady and Corrupt': Add Barrett Real Estate De​al to List of Supreme Court Ethics Scandals," Common Dreams ( 06-22-2023 )
• Quoted in "Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Cour," ProPublica ( 06-20-2023 )
• Quoted in "Proposal to require Michigan courts to use preferred pronouns has some critics," ABA Journal ( 06-07-2023 )
• Quoted in "Pronoun Selection for Lawyers, Litigants Divides Michigan Courts," Bloomberg Law ( 06-06-2023 )
• Quoted in "Why Alito, Kagan recusal decisions at Supreme Court raised eyebrows," The Hill ( 06-01-2023 )
• Quoted in "The US Supreme Court will make crucial decisions this year – but it’s now a snake-pit of sleaze," I News ( 05-28-2023 )
• Quoted in "The JQC Wants Jurisdiction—Even Before Judges Rise to the Bench," Law.com ( 05-18-2023 )
• Quoted in "Investigation Into Judge Newman's Competency Should Be Transferred, Ethics Experts Say," National Law Journal ( 05-16-2023 )
• Quoted in "US judge's lawsuit to block probe leads courts to 'uncharted waters'," Reuters ( 05-11-2023 )
• Quoted in "Clarence Thomas' many scandals draw more calls for court reform," Fox 4 News ( 05-05-2023 )
• Quoted in "Florida Judge Suggests Medical Marijuana Patient Take Xanax Instead," Forbes ( 05-02-2023 )
• Quoted in "Partisan clash expected during Supreme Court ethics hearing," Roll Call ( 05-01-2023 )
• Interviewed on "Supreme Court needs a code of conduct, says judicial ethics expert," NPR All Things Considered ( 05-01-2023 )
• Quoted in "Pinellas judge denies defendant's use of medical marijuana, suggests Xanax instead," Tampa Bay Times ( 04-29-2023 )
• Wrote "The Supreme Court’s refusal to adopt a code of conduct is nothing but petulance," The Hill ( 04-28-2023 )
• Quoted in "Amid ethics issues, Supreme Court justices say no fix needed," PBS News Hour ( 04-26-2023 )
• Quoted in "Justices' Ethics Statement No Balm For Court Critics," Law 360 ( 04-26-2023 )
• Quoted in "Supreme Court draws fire for ethics inaction," NBC News ( 04-26-2023 )
• Quoted in "Probe of federal appeals judge tests aging US courts," Reuters ( 04-20-2023 )
• Quoted in "Review Of Judge Newman's Fitness Raises Thorny Issues," Law 360 ( 04-19-2023 )
• Quoted in "Justice Thomas' actions prompt calls for Supreme Court ethics reform," Scripps News ( 04-08-2023 )
• Quoted in "Supreme Court justice says he didn’t have to disclose luxury trips," Associated Press ( 04-07-2023 )
• Quoted in "Supreme Court justices, including Clarence Thomas, are their own ethics police," NBC News ( 04-06-2023 )
• Quoted in "Trump, Wisconsin and the eroding trust in the rule of law," Washington Post ( 04-06-2023 )
• Quoted in "Liberals win control of Wisconsin Supreme Court ahead of abortion case," Washington Post ( 04-04-2023 )
• Quoted in "Why does Trump think attacking his Manhattan judge is a good plan?," The Week ( 04-04-2023 )
• Quoted in "Federal judge withdraws from West Virginia foster care lawsuit after involving lawmakers in settlement talks," Mountain State Spotlight ( 04-03-2023 )
• Co-wrote "More Judicial Reforms Are Needed, But Observers Diverge on Scope," Bloomberg Law ( 03-30-2023 )
• Quoted in "Prosecutor recusal motion in death penalty case seen as tactical move," Fox59 News ( 03-29-2023 )
• Appeared on "Judicial Misconduct – How Should We Respond? with Charles Geyh," Legal Talk Network ( 03-21-2023 )
• Quoted in "Stanford Apologizes to US Circuit Judge for Disrupted Speech (1)," Bloomberg Law ( 03-13-2023 )
• Quoted in "As he pushed for a foster care deal, a federal judge met privately with West Virginia lawmakers about an open lawsuit," Mountain State Spotlight ( 03-03-2023 )
• Quoted in "Alito, Kagan Top Justices in Supreme Court Recusal ‘Black Box’," Bloomberg Law ( 02-13-2023 )
• Quoted in "Supreme Court justices face new pressure to adopt code of conduct," NBC News ( 02-08-2023 )
• Quoted in "Ketanji Brown Jackson Book Deal Joins Trendy Supreme Court Side Hustle," Bloomberg ( 01-07-2023 )
• Quoted in "Weekly Briefs: Giuliani committed ethics violation, committee says; Justice Kavanaugh criticized for attending party," ABA Journal ( 12-16-2022 )
• Quoted in "Kavanaugh attended a right-wing activist’s holiday party at 'the worst possible time'," Raw Story ( 12-13-2022 )
• Quoted in "Law professors raise ethics concerns as Kavanaugh parties with Republicans at “worst possible time”," Salon ( 12-13-2022 )
• Quoted in "Justice Brett Kavanaugh Faces Backlash for Attending CPAC Chairman's Holiday Party," Christian Headlines ( 12-13-2022 )
• Mentioned in "Brett Kavanaugh is allowed to have conservative friends," Washington Examiner ( 12-13-2022 )
• Quoted in "Kavanaugh Holiday Party Appearance Raises Ethics Questions," Bloomberg Law ( 12-12-2022 )
• Quoted in "Ethics Scholars Question Justice Thomas' Participation in Arizona Election Order," Law.com ( 11-14-2022 )
• Quoted in "Will Judge Coomer Have to Pay? Ethics Experts Weigh In," Law.com ( 11-10-2022 )
• Quoted in "Hundreds join petition to cancel Amy Coney Barrett's $2M book deal with Penguin Random House," Meaww ( 10-28-2022 )
• Quoted in "Abortion Recusals Raise Questions About Reasons Judges Opt Out," Bloomberg Law ( 09-21-2022 )
• Quoted in "GOP Lawmakers Cast Doubt on Special Committee Probing Judges' Controversial Law Clerk Hiring," Law.com ( 08-25-2022 )
• Quoted in "Law groups are united that judicial discipline process needs greater transparency," Denver Gazette ( 08-10-2022 )
• Quoted in "Speech by Justice Alito made news for a joke — but it’s raising alarm for a different reason," San Francisco Chronicle ( 08-10-2022 )
• Quoted in "'Extreme Behavior': A Judge Pulls Out a Gun in Court. It's Sparked a Debate on Recusal Procedures.," National Law Journal ( 07-20-2022 )
• Quoted in "A Federal Judge Bought Apple And Microsoft Bonds While Overseeing A Case Against Them — Then Dismissed It," Forbes ( 06-24-2022 )
• Quoted in "Cisco's $2 Billion Loss Nixed Over Judge's Wife Owning Stock (2)," Bloomberg Law ( 06-23-2022 )
• Quoted in "Supreme Court Ethics Bill Faces Tough Path In Congress," Law360 ( 05-11-2022 )
• Quoted in "'It's unseemly': Ethics experts unsettled by federal judges trying to control who replaces them," National Law Journal ( 04-21-2022 )
• Quoted in "Opinion: Clarence Thomas should resign," Concord Monitor ( 04-11-2022 )
• Quoted in "Legal ethics experts agree: Justice Thomas must recuse in insurrection cases," NPR Morning Edition ( 03-30-2022 )
• Quoted in "Legal experts: Clarence Thomas must recuse from all Jan. 6 cases after wife's role exposed," Raw Story ( 03-30-2022 )
• Interviewed on "Balance of Power: Clarence Thomas And January 6 (Radio)," Bloomberg ( 03-29-2022 )
• Quoted in "'Arguably Unprecedented': Ethics Experts Say Clarence Thomas Crossed a Line With Jan. 6 Ruling," National Law Journal ( 03-25-2022 )
• Quoted in "Inni Thomas' texts to Trump aides reopen battle over when Supreme Court justices should recuse," USAToday ( 03-21-2022 )
• Quoted in "If I Were A Senator: What Lawyers Would Ask Judge Jackson," Law 360 ( 03-21-2022 )
• Quoted in "Emails show Judge, Maricopa County Attorney's Office prosecutors kept job talks secret," ABC15 ( 03-07-2022 )
• Quoted in "Complaint Filed Against Judge Who Directed Lawyer to Remove Mask During Oral Argument," National Law Journal ( 02-03-2022 )
• Quoted in "Potential SCOTUS Nominee, on Harvard Board of Overseers, Could Face Conflict of Interest Questions in Affirmative Action Case," The Harvard Crimson ( 01-30-2022 )
• Quoted in "Legal experts differ on federal judge's refusal to step away from Arkansas redistricting lawsuit," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ( 01-17-2022 )
• Quoted in "Judicial Campaign Missteps Flagged as Races More Intense," Bloomberg Law ( 11-02-2021 )
• Quoted in "Recusal Standoff In Voter ID Case Roils NC High Court," LAW360 ( 10-28-2021 )
• Quoted in "Dozens of Federal Judges Had Financial Conflicts: What You Need to Know," Wall Street Journal ( 09-29-2021 )
• Quoted in "131 Federal Judges Broke the Law by Hearing Cases Where They Had a Financial Interest," Wall Street Journal ( 09-28-2021 )
• Quoted in "A Post-Watergate Law Some Judges Overlook," Wall Street Journal ( 09-28-2021 )
• Quoted in "A Federal Judge is Appearing at the Same Event as a Lawyer Who Pushed Election Fraud Claims. Here's What Ethics Experts Are Saying," National Law Journal ( 09-16-2021 )
• Quoted in "Election Fraud Cases Sow Doubts About Legal Profession's Future," Bloomberg Law ( 09-14-2021 )
• Quoted in "Donor Bernstein funds Whitmer's recall fight that brother could rule on," The Detroit News (sub. req.) ( 07-30-2021 )
• Quoted in "Do optics matter? Judicial fundraising calls judges' impartiality into question," Law.com ( 06-16-2021 )
• Quoted in "'Not a close question': 5th circuit Trump pick faced recusal bid in voting case," Law.com ( 04-23-2021 )
• Quoted in "Barrett's big book deal called bad optics for Supreme Court," Bloomberg Law ( 04-22-2021 )
• Quoted in "3 democratic lawmakers call on Barrett to recuse herself in donor disclosure case," ABA Journal ( 04-22-2021 )
• Quoted in "DiFiore didn't disclose Greenberg Traurig connection during arguments, raising questions," Law.com ( 04-16-2021 )
• Quoted in "In Trump election fraud cases, federal judges upheld the rule of law - but that's not enough to fix US politics," The Conversation ( 12-18-2020 )
• Quoted in "'The last wall': How dozens of judges across the political spectrum rejected Trump's efforts to overturn the election," The Washington Post ( 12-12-2020 )
• Quoted in "As lawyers keep pushing Trump election challenges, calls for sanctions mount," ABC News ( 12-05-2020 )
• Quoted in "Parties are spending big on nonpartisan court races," Law360 ( 11-02-2020 )
• Mentioned in "How the Supreme Court can maintain its legitimacy amid intensifying partisanship," The Conversation ( 10-20-2020 )
• Quoted in "Barrett says she is not a 'pawn' as Senate Democrats push her to recuse herself from a potential 2020 case," The Washington Post ( 10-13-2020 )
• Quoted in "High court vacancy triggers big money ad war in election runup," Bloomberg Law ( 10-12-2020 )

Selected Works

• WHO IS TO JUDGE: JUDICIAL ELECTIONS, JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS, AND THE PERENNIAL DEBATE OVER JUDICIAL SELECTION IN AMERICA (Oxford University Press 2019).
• UNDERSTANDING CIVIL PROCEDURE (with Gene Shreve & Peter Raven-Hansen) (Lexis Law Publishing, 6th ed. 2019).
• LEGAL ETHICS, PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION (with Gregory Sisk, William Henderson, Katherine Cruse, Susan Fortney, Neil Hamilton, Vincent Johnson, Stephen Pepper, Melissa Weresh) (West Academic Publishing 2018).
• COURTING PERIL: THE POLITICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE AMERICAN JUDICIARY (Oxford University Press 2016).
• JUDICIAL CONDUCT AND ETHICS (with James Alfini, Steven Lubet & Jeffrey Shaman) (Lexis Law Publishing, 5th ed. 2013).
• WHAT'S LAW GOT TO DO WITH IT?: WHAT JUDGES DO, WHY THEY DO IT, AND WHAT'S AT STAKE (Charles Gardner Geyh, ed., Stanford University Press 2011).
• DISQUALIFICATION: AN ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL LAW (Federal Judicial Center 2d ed., 2011).
• WHEN COURTS AND CONGRESS COLLIDE: THE STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF AMERICA'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM (University of Michigan Press paperback edition 2008) (with foreword by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor).
• REPORTERS' NOTES ON THE 2007 MODEL CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT (with W. William Hodes) (American Bar Association 2008).

Related Links

• Social Science Research Network
• ORCID
• Publications

Areas of Expertise

• Civil procedure
• Courts and Congress
• Federal courts
• Judicial selection and ethics