Summary: A judge may make a financial contribution to the election campaign of a brother provided it is not done in such a manner as to constitute a public endorsement. However, a judge cannot do anything which would constitute a public endorsement, specifically including the activities listed in th...

Summary: Neither a judge nor candidate for a judicial position may continue to serve or be elected to a county Democratic or Republican committee, even if the individual is not an officer on that committee. A judge or candidate may not be elected as a delegate to a district, state or national politi...

Summary: A judge is not obligated to report a violation of the Internal Revenue Code to the I.R.S. even if a violation is admitted by a witness under oath, although nothing would appear to prohibit the judge from reporting such suspected criminal act. (Note: The Commission declines to opine upon the...

Summary: NOTE: Former Canon 7(B)(1)(c) has been withdrawn and replaced by Rule 4.2(A)(3). A lower court part-time judge who is not an incumbent in the judicial office to which election is sought may appropriately use the term "Judge" in political advertising, so long as the judicial position curren...

Summary: A private, personal political contribution by a judge of a sum which is statutorily required to be publicly disclosed does not constitute a "public endorsement" of the candidate prohibited by Rule 4.1(A)(2). Issued: November 19, 1993

Summary: The fact that counsel for a party is an announced candidate for the judicial position then held by the trial judge is not a per se ground for disqualification under Rule 2.11(A). However, if a judge is in fact biased or prejudiced toward a party and/or counsel because such counsel is seekin...

Summary: If Senior Judges desire to engage in political activity, such judges shall first declare themselves ineligible to serve as judges in compliance with existing court rules and thereafter refrain from using either their titles or judicial positions to further the interests of any political can...

Summary: It is inappropriate for a judicial candidate to act as a leader or hold any office in a political organization. Issued: May 24, 1996

Summary: It is inappropriate for a sitting judge to display a bumper sticker on his personal vehicle urging the re-election of a sitting Superior Court Judge. Issued: May 24, 1996

Summary: It is inappropriate for a candidate for judicial office to personally solicit campaign funds in a newspaper advertisement or otherwise. Issued: May 24, 1996

Summary: It is inappropriate for a candidate for judicial office to use the designation "Judge" in political advertising without clearly designating therein the judicial position currently held by such candidate. Issued: May 24, 1996

Summary: It is inappropriate for a candidate for judicial office to use the designation "Judge" in political advertising if in fact the candidate does not presently hold a judicial office. Issued: May 24, 1996

Summary: The mere use of the word "Conservative" in a political advertisement would not be inappropriate. Issued: June 28, 1996

Summary: It is inappropriate for any judicial officer to accept and/or use "Official Documents" envelopes provided at no cost to the court by advertising agencies for commercial banks and bearing advertisements naming both the court and the bank. Any judicial officer who may have heretofore unknowin...

Summary: Note: Opinion No. 36 reverses the holding and authority of Opinion No. 23. If running on a partisan basis, a judge or judicial candidate may join the Georgia Federation of Democratic Women and contribute financially to a political party. Candidate status conferred by taking any step tow...

Summary: Note: The Canon 7(A)(3) "resign to run provisions" of the 1973 Code of Judicial Conduct were eliminated in 1984. A person who is a candidate for judicial office should not at the same time hold a nonjudicial office which it would be improper to hold if elected as judge. Issued: April...

Summary: Note: As of January 2004, Canon 7(B)(2) has been substantially revised. A duly appointed campaign finance committee may raise funds with which to pay the qualifying fee of the candidate in either the primary or general election. Issued: July 19, 1980

Summary: Pursuant to Rule 28(B)(l) of the Rules of the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), the Director of the JQC has requested that the Hearing Panel of the JQC issue an opinion on the recurring concern of whether a judge's spouse or partner may use the couple's shared residence for politic...