2013-29 (June 27,
2013)
Event, attendance/appearance; Civic
Activities; Fundraiser; Speaking
Rules 3.1 & 3.7
Issue: May a Judicial Official serve as the
master of ceremonies for a nonprofit organization’s
charitable event to benefit children’s programs if
the Judicial Official limits his or her role to
introducing dignitaries who attend the event and the
Judicial Official’s name is not used in connection
with publicity for the event and does not appear in
the event program book?
Response:
Rule 3.7 states in relevant part as follows:
(a) 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 situations:
…
(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
participate only if the event concerns the law, the
legal system, or the administration of justice.
Based upon the facts
presented, including that neither the organization
nor the event concerns the law, the legal system or
the administration of justice, the Committee members
in attendance unanimously determined that
participation as the master of ceremonies and
introducing dignitaries that attend the fund-raising
event would violate Rule 3.7(a)(4).
