May 8, 1997
Digest:
A newly-elected part-time judge should not mail announcements to clients
of the judge's law firm informing them of the judge's election to judicial
office, nor should the judge permit the law firm to mail announcements.
Rules:
22 NYCRR 100.2(C).
Opinion:
A newly-elected part-time judge inquires whether it is permissible to mail an announcement of the judge's election to judicial office to the clients of the judge's law firm.
Section 100.2(C) of the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct provides as follows:
The Committee is of the opinion that mailing of an announcement of the judge's election to clients of the judge's law firm would contravene the Rule, since the obvious purpose of such announcement is to advance the personal and professional interests of the judge and the judge's law firm. The judge should not mail announcements and should not permit the law firm to mail announcement.(C) A judge shall not lend the prestige of judicial office to advance the private interests of the judge or others; nor shall a judge convey or permit others to convey the impression that they are in a special position to influence the judge.