You think it goes without saying that lawyers should be polite. Lawyers shouldn’t pretend they have their client’s approval when they don’t. Lawyers shouldn’t impose deadlines on their adversaries that are more onerous than necessary.

But in an era when politicians and pundits alike are bemoaning society’s lack of civility, the New York State Bar Association is announcing today that it has adopted new standards that tell lawyers how they should behave in the proverbial sandbox. Don’t worry though: You most likely won’t get sanctioned for throwing a temper tantrum.