State of Washington

Ethics Advisory Committee

Question

May a court provide jurors with an option, by signing a form at the time of their jury service, to donate their compensation for jury services to a specific program for the homeless, or alternatively, to the city combined charities fund, so that the court would direct the funds to the charity or to the fund?

Answer

In the absence of statutory authority, CJC Canon 5(B)(2) provides that judicial officers may not use the prestige of their office to solicit contributions for any charitable organization not devoted to the law, the legal system and the administration of justice. Therefore a judicial officer may not provide jurors with the option of contributing their compensation to the city combined charities fund or for a specific program for the homeless.

Opinion 95-18

07/31/1995