State of Washington

Ethics Advisory Committee

Question

May a part-time municipal court judge consider an affidavit in support of a search warrant when the person named in the search warrant is a client of the part-time judge or of the judge's law firm?

Answer

It is not proper under CJC Canon 2 for a part-time municipal court judge to consider an affidavit in support of a search warrant when the person named in the search warrant is a client of the part-time judge or of the judge's law firm.

The Supreme Court adopted a new Code of Judicial Conduct effective January 1, 2011. In addition to reviewing the ethics advisory opinions, the following should be noted: CJC 1.2 CJC 2.11

Opinion 88-18

12/12/1988