ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
STATE OF WASHINGTON
OPINION NO. 86-2



QUESTION

     Is it proper for a judge to advertise in a bar publication the sale of
a book the judge has authored and to handle the sales transactions
personally?


ANSWER

     It is proper for a judge to write a book concerning the legal system
and for the sale of the book to be advertised in a bar publication.
However, any marketing of the book should be handled by a third party and
any advertisement must contain sufficient information to reveal that the
transaction is being handled by a third party.  The judge should also
retain a measure of control over the advertising so that it does not
exploit the judicial position or use the prestige of the judge’s office to
advance the private interests of others.