Judges Can’t Sell Girl Scout Cookies . . . and Other Little-Known Ethical Rules

We’re holding a seminar on professionalism and ethics for judges at the School of Government next week so I’ve got judicial canons on my mind.  Below are five ethical rules many legal professionals may not know about, but probably should. 1. Judges can’t sell Girl Scout cookies.  Canon 5(B)(2) of the North Carolina Judicial Code prohibits judges from actively assisting civic and charitable organizations in raising funds.  So judges can’t sell Girl Scout cookies or solicit donations for the United Way.  They may, of course, buy said cookies and donate their own funds to the designated cause.  They may even be listed as contributors on a fundraising invitation, but they may not sponsor or host a fundraising event.  Formal Advisory Opinion 2010-07. 2. Judges, who are elected themselves, may not endorse other individuals running for elected office unless the judge also is a candidate.  Canon 7B(2).   Endorsement is broadly defined to include public requests, appeals and announcements, whether oral or written, for support of a person’s efforts to be elected to public office.  Canon 7A(3). It is, however, fairly easy for a judge to become a candidate.  She can do so by publicly declaring her candidacy, filing as a candidate with the State Board of Elections or other appropriate elections authority, or by sending a letter of intent to the chair of the Judicial Standards Commission.  Canon 7A(1). 3. While a judge may write a letter of recommendation for a person based on his personal knowledge of that person, the judge [...]