Colo. Code. Jud. Cond. 3.7

As amended through Rule Change 2024(18), effective October 2, 2024

Rule 3.7 - Participation in Educational, Religious, Charitable, Fraternal, or Civic Organizations and Activities

(A) Subject to the requirements of Rule 3.1, a judge may participate in activities sponsored by organizations or governmental entities concerned with the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice, and those sponsored by or on behalf of educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations not conducted for profit, including but not limited to the following activities:

(1) assisting such an organization or entity in planning related to fund-raising, and participating in the management and investment of the organization's or entity's funds;

(2) soliciting* contributions* for such an organization or entity, but only from members of the judge's family,* or from judges over whom the judge does not exercise supervisory or appellate authority;

(3) soliciting membership for such an organization or entity, even though the membership dues or fees generated may be used to support the objectives of the organization or entity, but only if the organization or entity is concerned with the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice;

(4) appearing or speaking at, receiving an award or other recognition at, being featured on the program of, and permitting his or her title to be used in connection with an event of such an organization or entity, but if the event serves a fund-raising purpose, the judge may participate only if the event concerns the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice;

(5) making recommendations to such a public or private fund-granting organization or entity in connection with its programs and activities, but only if the organization or entity is concerned with the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice; and

(6) serving as an officer, director, trustee, or nonlegal advisor of such an organization or entity, unless it is likely that the organization or entity:

(a) will be engaged in proceedings that would ordinarily come before the judge; or

(b) will frequently be engaged in adversary proceedings in the court of which the judge is a member, or in any court subject to the appellate jurisdiction of the court of which the judge is a member.

(B) A judge may encourage lawyers to provide pro bono publico legal services.

Colo. Code. Jud. Cond. 3.7

COMMENT

[1] The activities permitted by paragraph (A) generally include those sponsored by or undertaken on behalf of public or private not-for-profit educational institutions, and other not-for-profit organizations, including law-related, charitable, and other organizations.

[2] Even for law-related organizations, a judge should consider whether the membership and purposes of the organization, or the nature of the judge's participation in or association with the organization, would conflict with the judge's obligation to refrain from activities that reflect adversely upon a judge's independence, integrity, and impartiality.

[3] Mere attendance at an event, whether or not the event serves a fund-raising purpose, does not constitute a violation of paragraph 4(A). It is also generally permissible for a judge to serve as an usher or a food server or preparer, or to perform similar functions, at fund-raising events sponsored by educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations. Such activities are not solicitation and do not present an element of coercion or abuse the prestige of judicial office.

[4] Identification of a judge's position in educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations on letterhead used for fund-raising or membership solicitation does not violate this Rule. The letterhead may list the judge's title or judicial office if comparable designations are used for other persons.

[5] In addition to appointing lawyers to serve as counsel for indigent parties in individual cases, a judge may promote broader access to justice by encouraging lawyers to participate in pro bono publico legal services, if in doing so the judge does not employ coercion, or abuse the prestige of judicial office. Such encouragement may take many forms, including providing lists of available programs, training lawyers to do pro bono publico legal work, and participating in events recognizing lawyers who have done pro bono publico work.

ETHICS OPINIONS A district court judge may not accept a voting or non-voting board position on a local community board that combines integrated services and legislative advocacy because such membership would involve legislative advocacy beyond matters to improve the law. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 07-07. A judge may serve on a grant-making committee of a community foundation. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 07-03. A judge may serve on the board of directors of a public charter school in a neighboring judicial district. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 07-02. The judge should not accept appointment to a blue-ribbon panel of public and private leaders charged with "reducing the state's contribution and vulnerability to a changed climate" by developing a set of recommendations and policy proposals addressing how Colorado can mitigate and adapt to climate change. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 06-08. A judge may serve on the board of an organization devoted to seeking funds to assist defendants in obtaining court-ordered substance abuse treatment, and he may make recommendations to a private foundation that it should fund programs to the same end, but it would be inappropriate for the judge to assist in determining which particular defendants receive the scholarship funds. Colo. J.E.A.B. Op. 06-06. A judge may make monetary contributions to further pro bono activities, but it is inappropriate for judges to solicit attorneys to participate in particular pro bono programs. Acknowledging the pro bono activity of particular attorneys would be permissible if it were done in a manner that is public, but letters of congratulation sent directly to the attorney could be interpreted as evidence that the attorneys are in a special position of influence or that the judge's ability to act impartially has been compromised. Alaska Ad. Op. 2004-01. Judge may as college trustee co-host outreach event for alumni who are lawyers. Md. Ad. Op. 2008-06. Judge may serve as a director of a non-profit corporation formed to solicit funds from the community to provide incentives for participants in a local Drug Court. Md. Ad. Op. 2005-11. A judge shall not be a director or officer of an organization if it is likely that the organization will be engaged regularly in adversary proceedings in any court. Md. Ad. Op. 2008-05. A judge may not serve on the board of a mental health organization whose representatives frequently appear in the judge's court. Utah Ad. Op. 07-04. Judge may participate in a nationally renowned non-profit musical education and performance organization. Utah. Ad. Op. 97-3. Part-time traffic referee may not practice criminal law. The referee also may not practice law at the court or courts which the referee serves. The judges of the district must enter disqualification in all cases in which the referee appears as counsel. Utah Ad. Op. 07-02.