Dear Ms. Meiring, With the holiday season approaching, Charity Y would like to know whether it is ethically permissible for our local judge to dress up like Santa Claus and pass out donated presents to the less fortunate kids in the community at our annual holiday party. Sincerely, Virginia, Director of Charity Y Ah, the holidays - ‘tis the season for charitable giving and activities. As prominent members of the l … [Read more...] about Yes Virginia, Judges can be Santa Claus
Ethics
People in the News and Other Items
People in the News Clerk’s Office Gregory Pachmayr became the new Deputy Clerk of the Indiana Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court in June 2014. Before joining the Supreme Court staff, Greg was the Director of the Indiana Board of Pharmacy. He has multiple degrees including a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Indiana University Mauer School of Law and a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University School of … [Read more...] about People in the News and Other Items
Speak when you are angry & you will make the best speech you'll ever regret
The Ethics of Judicial Campaigns: Part 2 (see Part 1) One of the hottest topics these days in judicial elections is campaign speech. As judicial elections become more heated, so too does the campaign rhetoric. It is important to remember, however, that judicial elections are different than other elections. Judicial candidates certainly maintain a first amendment right to express ideas during their campaigns. … [Read more...] about Speak when you are angry & you will make the best speech you'll ever regret
On Your Mark, Get Set…Go?
The Ethics of Judicial Campaigns: Part 1 (see Part 2) A whirlwind of activity, the pulse of adrenaline, and general excitement (and despair) loom in the air—it’s the change of season. Racing, you say? No, it’s judicial campaign season. With the primary elections approaching, I have received an increasing number of questions about judicial elections and campaigns. Because the questions often are recurring, I thought a … [Read more...] about On Your Mark, Get Set…Go?
Paid Per Ticket: Not a Wise Judicial Pay Arrangement
So now that I have your attention—no, I’m not talking about bribery or ticket fixing. Rather, the subject of this article is judicial pay arrangements which are based on some factor other than an annual fixed salary, e.g. paid per traffic ticket filed in or disposed of by the court. While the purpose of such pay arrangements may not be nefarious, such pay measures equally damage the public’s confidence in the neutr … [Read more...] about Paid Per Ticket: Not a Wise Judicial Pay Arrangement