Summary: A judge may accept an invitation to attend a meeting sponsored by a political party for the purpose of reporting on and discussing matters relating to the judicial system. Issued: May 28, 1967

Summary: A public official of a municipality, who is not subject to a judicial candidates's direction and control, may serve on that candidate's campaign finance committee. Issued: April 28, 1976

Summary: A candidate for judicial office is not required by the Code of Judicial Conduct to maintain a separate bank account and appoint a committee to make campaign expenditures, where the candidate does not intend to accept contributions and the funds expended will be the candidate's personal fun...

Summary: An honorably retired Court of Appeals Judge not holding emeritus status but receiving State retirement benefit does not hold judicial office, and may engage in political activities without conforming to the Code of Judicial Conduct. (Note: this opinion is not applicable to retired judges m...

Summary: Note: The 1973 Code of Judicial Conduct restrictions on family members of a judge were deleted by 1984 amendment. A candidate for judicial office should encourage spouse to resign position on a county political committee. (Note: Since the rendition of this opinion, the Supreme Court has...

Summary: A Justice of the Peace should not continue to hold office after becoming a candidate for Solicitor of State Court. (Note: Since rendition of this opinion, the judicial office of Justice of the Peace has been eliminated from Georgia government, but the principles underlying the opinion reta...

Summary: In election advertising, the incumbent judge may, at personal expense, use official stationery in a campaign for re-election, may employ the title of judge and use a photograph depicting the judge wearing a robe while seated at the judicial bench. Issued: June 08, 1984

Summary: A Superior Court Judge's secretary, who had been a member and secretary of the County Democratic Executive Committee for many years, may serve in that capacity, unless it was undertaken or conducted on behalf of the judge, or the judge undertook to influence or control the secretary's activ...

Summary: A candidate for a judicial office may be reimbursed for campaign expenditures from surplus contributions at the conclusion of the campaign, provided such funds are used for nothing more than to reimburse contingent up front advances and loans made to the campaign committee pending receipt o...

Summary: A judge may send letters of recommendation for judicial appointment to a screening committee of the Bar, provided that the letters are submitted because of the peculiar opportunity of those from whom such letters are sought to know and to recommend the applicant, rather than to exploit the ...

Summary: NOTE: The Canon 7(A)(3) "resign to run provisions" of the 1973 Code of Judicial Conduct were eliminated in 1984. The Code of Judicial Conduct, as amended effective March 15, 1984, no longer contains any prohibition against a judge becoming a candidate for political office while retaining a...

Summary: It would be permissible for a judge to attend or to contribute to a dinner of the Anti Defamation League of B'nai B'rith honoring the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives with the "Torch of Liberty Award". Issued: May 01, 1986

Summary: A judge cannot be a delegate to a political convention, as this would be improper holding of a leadership position in a political organization. Issued: February 29, 1988

Summary: NOTE: The Canon 7(A)(3), "resign to run provisions" of the 1973 Code of Judicial Conduct were eliminated in 1984. The solicitor of a State Court may not need to resign to become a candidate for Judge of that Court, but officers of political parties should resign these positions upon becomi...

Summary: A pro hac judge may not act as treasurer of the campaign committee formed to help re-elect another judge, in view of Code of Judicial Conduct provisions prohibiting political organization leadership activity. Issued: June 24, 1988

Summary: After a judge or a candidate has made the decision to run for election or re-election such individual is "a candidate for election or re-election" within the meaning of the Code of Judicial Conduct, and if acting pursuant to this purpose, may attend a fund raising for a partisan non-judicia...

Summary: A judge should not serve as a member of a county executive committee of the Democratic Party because doing so violates Code of Judicial Conduct limitations on being a leader or an office holder in a political organization. Issued: September 23, 1988

Summary: It is permissible for candidates to state their political party affiliation and offices they have held in partisan organizations in either partisan or non-partisan elections. The candidates may also attend partisan political functions and seek the support/endorsement of these organizations ...

Summary: A judge is not prohibited from making a private personal financial contribution to a candidate for a political office in a partisan race, so long as it is done in such a way as not to constitute a public endorsement of the candidate. Issued: October 25, 1989

Summary: Neither the payment of the State Bar Legislative Assessment, nor the voluntary contribution to Legal Aid constitutes a prohibited payment or contribution to a "political organization", nor do such payments violate any other Canons of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Issued: January 23, 1990