Opinion 15-222

January 13, 2016

Dear :

         This responds to your inquiry (15-222) asking whether you may make a charitable donation to help establish a new mentoring program for at-risk youth sponsored by certain county public defenders. You state these attorneys do not appear before you.

         The Committee has previously advised it is ethically permissible for a judge to donate to a legal services organization, even if the organization regularly appears before the judge. Therefore, you may likewise do so.

         Enclosed, for your convenience, are Opinions 13-134; 04-140; 95-131 and 89-46 which address this issue.

                                       Very truly yours,

George D. Marlow, Assoc. Justice

Appellate Division, First Dept. (Ret.)

Committee Chair

Encls.