(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

It’s been about a decade since the last time the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia worked on updates to the state Code of Judicial Conduct. Think about how much the world has changed since the last revision to that code, in November 2015. For that matter, think about how much we’ve learned by watching ethics questions play out on a state and national level.

Chief Justice Tim Armstead was right to set the process in motion.

“In order to promote and maintain the public’s trust in a fair, transparent, independent and impartial judiciary, it is important that we hold judges and judicial officers to the highest ethical standards possible,” he said last week.

To that end, Armstead has put together an advisory committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the code.

The committee will “proactively review it in order to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of the judiciary,” Armstead said. “This advisory panel will work over the next year to identify best practices, taking into consideration national trends, and bring those recommendations to the public and the Court for consideration.”

Good. The eight members of the committee have a tall task ahead.

Despite some elected officials’ penchant for looking to law from as long ago as the mid-19th century, it is encouraging to know the judicial branch takes seriously its need to be as up to date as possible.

This won’t be a hurried process. The committee has until Dec. 31, 2025, to submit its proposed recommendations. The process can include public meetings, if the committee so decides. Surely that will mean a thorough effort to develop the most comprehensive and relevant Code of Judicial Conduct they can. Anything less will serve only to further damage the public’s trust.