State of Washington

Ethics Advisory Committee

Question

May a judicial officer permit his/her former law firm to host a reception in his/her honor following the judicial officer’s swearing in ceremony?

If so, and assuming that the judicial officer reports the expense of the reception hosted by the firm as provided by Canon 5(C)(4)(c), are there any other special concerns of which the officer should be aware?

An attorney was recently elected to the bench and will take office shortly. The attorney will be leaving the law firm after a 20 plus years of association. The judicial officer will recuse him/her self from hearing any matters in which the firm is involved once the judicial duties are assumed.

Answer

CJC Canon 5(C)(4)(c) provides that judges or members of their families residing in their households may accept any other gift, bequest, favor, or loan only if the donor is not a party or other person whose interests have come or are likely to come before the judge, and, if its value exceeds $100, the judge reports it in the same manner as compensation is reported in Canon 6(C).

A judicial officer may permit his/her former law firm to host a reception following the judicial officer’s swearing in ceremony provided that the judicial officer reports the expense of the reception as provided by CJC Canon 5(C)(4)(c).

Opinion 95-05

01/06/1995