CT · rules

Conn. Code Jud. Conduct R. 3.7

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

activein force · 2011-01-01 – presentact-effective-date

(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.

History

(Effective Jan. 1, 2011.) COMMENT: (1) The activities permitted by subsection (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, chari- table, and other organizations. (2) Even for law related organizations, a judge should con- sider whether the membership and purposes of the organiza- tion, 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 on 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 subsection (a) (4). 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 educa- tional, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations. Such activities are not solicitation and do not present an ele- ment of coercion or abuse the prestige of judicial office. (4) Identification of a judge’s position in educational, reli - gious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organizations on letterhead used for fund-raising or membership solicitation does not vio- late 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 recog- nizing lawyers who have done pro bono publico work.

Provenance

Source: jud.ct.gov
Retrieved: 2026-09-15
Edition: 2026-09-15
Content hash: b418983c685dc40040e5f44ce22a662c1299893d55925856f44a1a45b5bac764

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