State of Washington

Ethics Advisory Committee

Question

May a judicial officer award a high school scholarship under the name and title of the judicial officer?

For many years before assuming the bench, the judicial officer awarded $500 scholarships to seniors graduating from the local high school. One of the scholarships is in memory of the judicial officer’s deceased child and the other is in the name of a long time local resident, who was for many years supportive of the schools, especially high school athletics.

Answer

CJC Canon 5(B) provides that judges may participate in civic and charitable activities that do not reflect adversely upon their impartiality or interfere with the performance of their judicial duties. High school scholarships given in the name of the judicial officer’s deceased child and a long time local resident fall under this provision. The judicial officer may make these scholarship awards under the name and title of the judicial officer if other scholarships so awarded also bear the name and position of the donator of the scholarship.

See also Opinions 93-31 and 96-11.

Opinion 99-05

06/01/1999