State of Washington

Ethics Advisory Committee

Question

May a judicial officer offer a cash scholarship in that judge’s name, to in-coming college freshman with a declared major/interest in pre-law, if the source of the scholarship is from the judicial officer’s personal income?

Answer

CJC Canon 4(A) provides that judges may engage in quasi-judicial activities that do not cast doubt on their capacity to decide impartially any issue that may come before them. Therefore, a judicial officer may establish a cash scholarship in the judge’s name for college freshman expressing an interest in studying the law.

See also Opinions 90-13, 93-31 and 95-24.

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 3.1

Opinion 96-11

5/10/1996