Category: Massachusetts Judicial & Clerks’ Ethics Opinions

Activities as Spouse of CandidateNovember 24, 1999CJE Opinion No. 99-16You have asked this Committee how the Code of Judicial Conduct impacts your activities during the course of your husband’s campaign for a United States Senate seat from another state. Your husband is a resident of that state, and during your marriage, the two of you […]

Accepting Award at Fund-raiserDecember 20, 1999CJE Opinion No. 99-17You request the advice of this Committee concerning your acceptance of an honor from a local Boys and Girls Club designating you as its first recipient of an award to be given each year to a female member of the community “who displays outstanding vocation and volunteer […]

Receiving Extended Payout of Capital Investment in Former FirmJanuary 20, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-1You have requested the Committee’s advice regarding the financial arrangements you and your firm propose to make upon your appointment as a judge. Your swearing in is scheduled for on or about . You have informed the Committee that the Firm proposes […]

Accepting Durable Power of Attorney, Serving as ExecutorJanuary 21, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-2You request the Committee’s advice as to whether you may be given a durable power of attorney by your wife’s uncle, and, also, whether you may serve as co-executor of his will. With the exception of her sister, your wife is his sole […]

Holding Social Function for Retiring JudgeApril 20, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-3You have requested an opinion concerning the ethical propriety of a proposed social function honoring a judge on the occasion of his upcoming retirement.In your request, you have stated that you and the judge were partners at a Boston law firm, albeit at different times. […]

Writing Letter Supporting Reinstatement to the BarJune 20, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-5You have inquired about the propriety of granting the request of a lawyer who has asked you to write a letter in support of his petition for reinstatement to the bar. The lawyer was a law school classmate whom you describe as a long-time […]

Participating in University Advertising CampaignJuly 14, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-6You have requested a formal opinion from the Committee regarding whether you may permit the University from which you were graduated to use your photograph and a statement you made during a graduation ceremony as part of an advertising campaign the University intends to mount.By way […]

Attending, as Guest, Fundraising EventSeptember 26, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-7You have asked whether you may accept an invitation to attend “The Good Scout Award Dinner” which appears to be a fund-raising event on behalf of The . . . Council and the Boy Scouts of America. The event, which is being chaired by a state […]

Hiring Court EmployeesOctober 3, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-8You have requested an opinion of the Committee on Judicial Ethics regarding whether you may from time to time hire employees of the office of the Clerk Magistrate of the court to which you were appointed to act as your babysitters outside work hours.From your letter, the Committee […]

Serving on Board of Directors, Community FoundationNovember 15, 2000CJE Opinion No. 2000-9You have inquired about the appropriateness of your remaining on the board of directors of a community foundation. Before you were appointed to the court, you were an original corporator and you served as chair of the Development Committee and as an officer. As […]

Membership in Boy Scouts of AmericaJanuary 25, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-1You have asked for an advisory opinion concerning membership in the Boy Scouts of America. For the past year, you have served as a co-den parent for your son’s Cub Scout den. As a den leader you have organized meetings and activities for the boys […]

Signing Affidavit Supporting New Trial MotionJanuary 25, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-2You have sought an opinion regarding whether you may sign an affidavit destined for filing in Superior Court in support of a motion for a new trial a former client of yours, acting through current counsel, intends to file in the near future. Apparently, the […]

Retired Judge Noticing and Taking Depositions Being Addressed SociallyJanuary 30, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-3You have sought an opinion regarding two matters: (a) whether within the first six months following your retirement from the judiciary you may notice and take depositions in state court cases; and (b) by what title you should be addressed socially by […]

Child Fatality Review Team Participating Judge: Conflict Judge’s Designee March 22, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-4Chapter 247 of the Acts of 2000, entitled “An Act Relative to the Establishment of a Child Fatality Review Team,” amends G. L. c. 38 by adding several statutory provisions designed to establish in the office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and […]

Hearing Matters Involving Organization, Judge on Board of Directors March 22, 2001 CJE Opinion No. 2001-5 You are a member of the board of directors of a health care organization (organization). The organization is a “component” of a parent company (parent). The parent is apparently a holding company for separate entities engaged in delivery of […]

Serving as Member or Officer of Condominium Board of GovernorsMarch 22, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-6You ask whether service as a member or officer of the Board of Governors of your condominium association is permitted under the Code of Judicial Conduct.We understand the facts as provided in your letter and accompanying materials to be as follows:The […]

Juvenile Justice Roundtable Attend Meetings Probation Officer AttendingMay 31, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-7You have asked two questions, both concerning attendance at meetings that are sometimes referred to as juvenile justice roundtables. Such meetings occur in a variety of forms around the Commonwealth, but their purpose is apparently to identify general problems that different groups working […]

Retired Judge, Voice Mail RecordingJune 1, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-8After resigning from your position as a judge, you have begun a solo practice in dispute resolution. In that regard, your letterhead reflects the fact that you are a retired judge and you recognize that some people may continue to address you as “Judge.” You have […]

Serving as Trip Chaperone at Reduced CostJune 1, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-9You have informed the Committee that you have been asked to serve as a chaperone on a tour of England that a High School Band, Orchestra and Choir has planned for the 2002 spring vacation. The trip will cost each student $1,500. Chaperones will […]

Hearing Matters Involving Certain OrganizationJuly 19, 2001CJE Opinion No. 2001-10The Committee has decided not to publish this opinion because, even in redacted form, the identity of the requesting judge could easily be determined.The opinion involves the following Canons of the Code of Judicial Conduct: 3 (C), 3 (C) (1), 3 (C) (1) (c), 3 (C) […]