- A chief judge of a circuit, a criminal division administrative judge, or a criminal division judge may contact the elected state attorney, public defender, or their designated supervisory level attorneys to discuss the judge’s concerns about the conduct of attorneys in their offices that adversely impacts the administration of justice. Florida Opinion 2019-23.
- A judge is not required to automatically disqualify himself from cases involving an insurance company that amicably settled a claim made by the judge. Florida Opinion 2019-24.
- Judges need not disqualify themselves if a lawyer or party is an acquaintance or disclose an acquaintanceship to the other lawyers or parties. Whether judges must disqualify themselves or disclose when a party or lawyer is a friend or has a close personal relationship with the judge depends on the circumstances. ABA Formal Opinion 488 (2019).
- A judge may discuss a court-based mental health diversion project on a video that will be used exclusively on a behavioral health entity’s web-site and social media platform to educate the community about the program if the judge does not promote the entity. Florida Opinion 2019-26.
- A chief judge may appear before volunteer bar associations to explain a service that refers military veterans to attorneys for pro bono representation and solicit attorneys to volunteer for the service. Florida Opinion 2019-27.
- A judge may apply for loan forgiveness under a U.S. Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and is not required to report any discharged debt. Colorado Opinion 2019-3.
- A judge must sell an interest in an out-of-state law firm upon election or appointment to the bench. Florida Opinion 2019-28.
- A judge may not own a limited liability company that provides mediation services. South Carolina Opinion 12-2019.
- A judge may participate in a continuing legal education seminar presented by a local bar association for which a fee is charged and that may result in a profit for the bar association. Virginia Opinion 2019-3.
- With conditions, a judicial official may serve on the board or committees of a community organization that provides research and funding to improve the lives of a specific gender. Connecticut Informal Opinion 2019-1.
- A judge may not accept an honorary membership in the National Black Prosecutors’ Association. Florida Opinion 2019-29.
- A judicial official may not receive a clergyperson of the year award at a gala event sponsored by a religious organization if there will be a silent auction to raise funds before the event even if there will be no fund-raising appeal at the event and the cost to attend only covers the cost of the food and other event expenses. Connecticut Informal Opinion 2019-2.
- A judge may not appear in an advertisement for a private elementary school. Maryland Judicial Opinion Request 2019-31.
- A judge may act as the treasurer for a non-profit high school legion baseball team. Nebraska Opinion 2019-2.
- A judge may publish a work of fiction using a pen name. Florida Opinion 2019-30.
- A judge may not publish an on-line review of a personal or professional vacation organized by a bar association or other professional organization even if the review is anonymous and does not refer to her judicial status. New York Opinion 2019-87.
- A judge may not write a letter in support of a clemency application at the request of the inmate or his attorney, but the inmate may list the judge as a reference. New York Opinion 2019-95.
- A judge may permit her election committee to send fund-raising communications to the local bar association by email. Maryland Opinion Request 2019-28.
- A judge may not permit a candidate for non-judicial office to use in campaign materials a photograph of the judge and the candidate taken before the judge assumed office. New York Opinion 2019-83.
Judicial ethics and discipline 