Your Honor The Ref

A judge may serve as a football and basketball referee, according to a recent opinion of the South Carolina Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics

With regard to officiating high school football and basketball games, again, the judge is allowed to engage in remunerative activity, provided the compensation paid to the judge does not exceed the same that would be paid to a non-judicial person. Further, officiating does not appear to conflict with judicial duties or give the appearance of impropriety. However, should persons with whom the judge frequently interacts or has personal knowledge of appear in the municipal court, the judge may be required to disqualify himself or herself under Canon 3E and follow the remittal of disqualification procedures under Canon 3F.

Finally, the judge is a full-time Chief Judge seeking information about two additional, extra-judicial employment activities. It appears based on the facts provided that the judge can engage in this employment outside of regular working hours without interfering with the full-time duties of a municipal judge. However, should this employment require the judge to perform work during his or her regular working hours as a full-time judge, the judge may have to forfeit such outside employment.

He may also monitor the budget of the sheriff’s office in another state. (Mike Frisch)