In an unsigned statement, the justices said though there has been no formal code, they have long abided by certain standards.
"The absence of a Code, however, has led in recent years to the misunderstanding that the Justices of this Court, unlike all other jurists in this country, regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules," they wrote. "To dispel this misunderstanding, we are issuing this Code, which largely represents a codification of principles that we have long regarded as governing our conduct."
The 8-page code, which significantly mirrors a code of conduct for lower federal court judges, details the expectations that justices should "avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety" in their actions on and off the bench.
Public trust in the court has fallen amid revelations that justices have unreported financial ties to and luxury travel with political donors. Public approval of the Supreme Court is near historic lows.