You think it goes without saying that a lawyer should be polite. A lawyer shouldn’t pretend he has his client’s approval when he doesn’t. A lawyer shouldn’t impose a deadline on his adversary that is 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 sandbox, so to speak. Don’t worry though: You most likely won’t get sanctioned for throwing a temper tantrum.