Call From The Hall: No Thank You

A recent opinion from the Florida Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee

May a judge attend an award luncheon to accept an award and be inducted into a County Hall of Fame sponsored by the county’s Women’s History Coalition, where program advertisements are sold to raise funds for the sponsoring organization?

ANSWER: No.

May the judge attend if the judge informs the organization that it cannot use the judge’s name or office for fundraising in any way, such as by including the name or office in any advance publicity concerning the event, in the formal invitation, or in any advertisements or congratulatory messages in the program?

ANSWER: No.

Reasoning

 The Committee observes that, despite having the occasion to do so in 2008, the Supreme Court did not relax the Code’s ethical restrictions against a judge being a speaker or guest of honor, or otherwise being featured, at a civic or charitable organization’s fund-raising event, unless the event concerns the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice as authorized by Canon 4D(2)(b). See Commentary to Canon 5C(3) (b). Thus, the Committee believes this inquiry has been answered previously by JEAC Op. 99-09, which concluded Florida’s Code of Judicial Conduct precludes the attendance of the judge at this fund-raising event..

(Mike Frisch)