STATE OF WASHINGTON
ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
OPINION NO. 93-13

Question
     May a judicial officer participate as a member of a screening
committee whose function will be to screen, interview and make
recommendations to the school board with respect to applicants for the
position of school principal?

Answer
     CJC Canon 5(B) provides that judicial officers may participate in
civic activities that do not reflect adversely upon their impartiality or
interfere with the performance of their judicial duties.  Therefore, a
judicial officer may participate as a member of a screening committee whose
function will be to screen, interview and make recommendations to the
school board with respect to applicants for the position of school
principal.  Given that this committee will be functioning for only a very
short period of time and has a narrow focus, it is very unlikely that it
will interfere with the performance of the judicial officer's duties or
that it would become involved in adversary proceedings.