Ensuring the Right to Be Heard

(A) A judge should accord to every person who is legally interested in a proceeding, or to the person's lawyer, full right to be heard according to law. (B) A judge may encourage parties to a proceeding and their lawyers to settle their matters in dispute but should not act in a manner that coerces any party into settlement. Comment: A judge should encourage and seek to facilitate settlement, but parties should not be coerced into surrendering the right to have their controversy resolved by the courts.