Connecticut Committee on Judicial Ethics
Informal Opinion Summaries
2008-12 (October 10, 2008)
Financial
Activities; Stock Interest;
Disclosure/Disqualification; Remittal; Canons 3 & 5
Issue:
Does the
ownership of a small amount of stock in a bank
require a Judicial Official to disqualify himself or
herself from presiding over all foreclosure cases
involving that bank?
Response:
Based upon the facts presented, the Committee
unanimously agreed that a Judicial Official’s
ownership of a small amount of stock in a bank that
frequently appeared before the Judicial Official,
unless held in a non-judge managed mutual fund,
required the Judicial Official to disqualify himself
or herself, subject to possible remittal in
accordance with Canon 3(d). The Judicial Official
was advised to consider whether divestment was
feasible in the near future prior to considering
whether to request a judicial re-assignment.
Committee on Judicial Ethics