Canons



 3.2






3.2 (A&C)








    

RULE 3.2. Appearances Before Governmental Bodies and Consultation with Government Officials

A judge shall not appear voluntarily at a public hearing before, or otherwise consult with, an executive or a legislative body or official, except:

(A) in connection with matters concerning the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice; in connection with matters about which the judge acquired knowledge or expertise in

(C) When the judge is acting in a matter involving the judge’s interests or when the judge is acting in a fiduciary capacity.

     

3.4

Appointments to Governmental Positions

A judge shall not accept appointment to a governmental committee, board, commission, or other governmental position, unless it is one that concerns the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice.

 

3.4 Com 1

Comment 

Rule 3.4 implicitly acknowledges the value of judges accepting appointments to entities that concern the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice. Even in such instances, however, a judge should assess the appropriateness of accepting an appointment, paying particular attention to the subject matter of the appointment and the availability and allocation of judicial resources, including the judge’s time commitments, and giving due regard to the requirements of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

3.7 (A)

(A)  A judge may not directly solicit funds for an organization. However, subject to the requirements of Rule 3.1, a judge may participate in activities sponsored by organizations or governmental entities concerned with the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice, and those sponsored by or on behalf of educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations not conducted for profit, including but not limited to the following activities:

3.7(A) 1

assisting such an organization or entity in planning related to fund-raising, volunteering services or goods at fund-raising events, and participating in the management and investment of the organization’s or entity’s funds;

 

      3.7(A) 2 soliciting contributions for such an organization or entity, but only from members of the judge’s family or from judges over whom the judge does not exercise supervisory or appellate authority;



3.7 (A) 4

 

appearing or speaking at, receiving an award or other recognition at, being featured on the program of, and permitting his or her title to be used in connection with an event of such an organization or entity, but if the event serves a fund-raising purpose, the judge may do so only if the event concerns the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice.

 

 



3.7 (C) 1

 

(C) Subject to the preceding requirements, a judge may:

(1) Provide leadership in identifying and addressing issues involving equal access to the justice system; develop public education programs; engage in activities to promote the fair administration of justice; and convene or participate or assist in advisory committees and community collaborations devoted to the improvement of the law, the legal system, the provision of services, or the administration of justice.

 



3.7 (C) 2

 

(2) Endorse projects and programs directly related to the law, the legal system, the administration of justice, and the provision of services to those coming before the courts, and may actively support the need for funding of such projects and programs.

 



3.7 (C) 3

 

(3) Participate in programs concerning the law or which promote the administration of justice.

 

Com 3.7-1

Comment

The activities permitted by paragraph (A) generally include those sponsored by or undertaken on behalf of public or private not-for-profit educational institutions, and other not-for-profit organizations, including law-related, charitable, and other organizations. An organization concerned with the law, the legal system, and the administration of justice may include an accredited institution of legal education, whether for-profit or not-for-profit.

 

Com 3.7-2

Comment

Even for law-related organizations, a judge should consider whether the membership and purposes of the organization, or the nature of the judge’s participation in or association with the organization, would conflict with the judge’s obligation to refrain from activities that reflect adversely upon a judge’s independence, integrity, and impartiality.

 

Com 3.7-3

Comment

Mere attendance at an event, whether or not the event serves a fund-raising purpose, does not constitute participation in violation of paragraph (A)(4). It is also generally permissible for a judge to serve as an usher or a food server or preparer, or to perform similar functions, at fund-raising events sponsored by educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations. Such activities are not solicitation and do not present an element of coercion or abuse the prestige of judicial office.

 

Com 3.7-4

Comment

Identification of a judge’s position in educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations on letterhead used for fund-raising or membership solicitation does not violate this Rule. The letterhead may list the judge’s title or judicial office if comparable designations are used for other persons.

 

Com 3.7-6

  Comment

 A judge may be an announced speaker at a fund-raising event benefitting indigent representation, scholarships for law students, or accredited institutions of legal education.

  3.7(C)2   Endorse projects and programs directly related to the law, the legal system, the administration of justice, and the provision of services to those coming before the courts, and may actively support the need for funding of such projects and programs.