Maryland Judicial Ethics Committee Ethics Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the Maryland Judicial Ethics Committee, with full citations and source links on every page.
No Maryland Judicial Ethics Committee opinions match these filters
Try a different search term or clear the filters.
Must a Maryland judge recuse from every case involving an attorney who opposed the judge's appointment and criticized the judge?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2026-28 says recusal is not necessarily required in every matter involving that attorney. The judge must assess personal impartiality and whether an informed…
Must a Maryland judge recuse when a litigant sues the judge elsewhere and reports filing a judicial conduct complaint?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2026-22 finds no likely objective basis for recusal from the litigant's other complaints alone. Recusal is required if the judge cannot remain fair and impartial.
May a Maryland judge volunteer at a local-government animal shelter?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2026-03 permits the proposed animal-shelter volunteer work if it does not involve governmental authority or policy, interfere with judicial duties, or create an…
May a Maryland administrative judge require another judge to explain the reason for recusal?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2025-32 permits an administrative judge to ask for recusal reasons but says the judge cannot require disclosure. Refusal to explain therefore does not violate Rule…
When may a Maryland judge discuss or testify about an earlier case, and does that testimony require recusal?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2025-21 favors a subpoena before a judge gives fact testimony or nonpublic material about judicial duties in most circumstances, while allowing limited…
May a Maryland judge ask law firms to provide pro bono counsel for juveniles in delinquency cases?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2025-18 permits the judge to send law firms a letter seeking pro bono juvenile counsel if the request is not coercive and does not abuse judicial prestige or imply…
May a Maryland judge help a bar section analyze White House executive orders for members advising clients?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2025-05 says current and recalled judges serving on the bar association's committees may neither participate in nor attend the described meetings to analyze…
May a Maryland judge speak at a bar association conference that charges admission?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2024-43 permits the judge to speak at the described fee-charging bar conference if it is open to attorneys across practice areas and the judge's comments preserve…
May a Maryland judge consider a U visa certification request without notifying the parties if the case is closed?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2024-24 says a judge may not consider or answer a U visa certification request ex parte, even if the underlying case is closed or the certification is characterized…
May a Maryland District Court Commissioner work part time as a real estate agent?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2024-15 concludes that a District Court Commissioner may not work as a real estate agent because commission-based transactions with potential court participants…
May a Maryland judge running for election answer a voter guide questionnaire about juvenile justice and court issues?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2024-06 permits the candidate-judge to answer a League of Women Voters questionnaire if the answers avoid commitments on issues likely to reach the court and…
May a Maryland judge answer lawyers' ethics questions on the MSBA Committee on Ethics hotline?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2023-32 concludes that a judge may not serve on the MSBA ethics hotline because applying the Lawyers' Rules of Professional Conduct to callers' specific questions is…
Must a Maryland judge sign a U visa certification, and when may the judge do so?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2023-20 says a judge need not entertain a U visa certification request but may sign in limited circumstances after completed proceedings, with party notice, record…
May a Maryland judge attend a bar association dinner partly paid for by private sponsors?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2023-09 allows attendance at the described sponsored bar dinner absent unusual circumstances, including a sponsor whose litigation might create an appearance of…
May a Maryland judge write a recommendation for a nominee to lead an executive branch agency?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2023-05 bars the requested recommendation letters for gubernatorial cabinet nominees because they would function like voluntary testimony at a Senate nomination…
May a Maryland judge attend the Governor-elect's inaugural ceremony and gala?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-52 permits attendance at the public swearing-in and the described inauguration gala, subject to conditions on public confidence, apparent allegiance, judicial…
May a Maryland judicial law clerk represent pro bono clients or advise clinic visitors?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-44 says a judicial law clerk may not provide pro bono services involving the practice of law, including clinic advice or representation, but may do non-practice…
May a Maryland judicial appointee accept donations through a relative's GoFundMe account for medical expenses?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-32 says a judicial appointee may not accept donations through the proposed GoFundMe account because donors would be unrestricted and could be anonymous,…
May a Maryland District Court Commissioner work part time creating social media content for wedding businesses?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-28 permits the described anonymous newsletter and social media work for two wedding businesses if it does not interfere with commissioner duties, with prior…
May a Maryland senior judge or fully retired judge chair a police discipline trial board?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-26 bars an active senior judge from the police discipline board because of impartiality and disqualification concerns, but says the Code does not bar a fully…
May a Maryland judge speak at a church about Dobbs and its possible effect on other rights?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-24 permits a historical presentation describing the Dobbs opinions and their possible ramifications but forbids the judge from giving personal views on how…
May a Maryland judge appear in an alumni magazine photo with a university president and other judges?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-18 permits the alumni publication's recognition photograph, including one with robes, and directs the judge to tell the university that photos identifying the…
May a Maryland judge recommend a lawyer who appears before the judge for a job?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-14 permits a private job recommendation based on the judge's personal knowledge of the lawyer, including appropriate use of judicial letterhead, if it creates…
May a Maryland judge permit a law clerk to publish a law journal article advocating legal change?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-08 permits the clerk's article only if the judge reviews it and the publication does not identify the clerk's relationship to the judge, the court, or the…
May a Maryland judge attend a spouse's campaign events or appear in the spouse's campaign family photo?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2022-01 bars the judge from attending or introducing the candidate spouse at campaign events, but permits an ordinary family photo if it omits judicial title, visual…
When must a Maryland judge recuse from criminal cases after supervising prosecutions in the State's Attorney's Office?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-29 rejects blanket recusal from every criminal case and identifies case-specific participation, supervision, disputed-fact knowledge, or other impartiality…
May a Maryland judge serve as a voting member of a county domestic violence coordinating council?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-32 permits the described council service only for law-related, justice-system work, excluding prosecution recommendations and advocacy activity while preserving…
May a Maryland judge join a police recruit community awareness panel?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-19 permits the judge to join the panel only to discuss law and legal process; the judge may not give police-focused witness tips, policing advice, or views on…
May a Maryland District Court Commissioner also serve as a notary public?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-16 permits a District Court Commissioner to serve as a notary because its duties do not exercise executive or legislative power, provided notary work does not…
Must a Maryland judge recuse when a retired employee's spouse or law firm appears as counsel?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-11 says retirement ends any automatic recusal tied to the employee's presence, but the judge must assess actual impartiality and whether the former relationship…
May a Maryland senior judge officiate a staged public wedding after the couple has married privately?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-10 bars the judge from officiating a simulated public marriage ceremony intended to appear official after a secret private wedding, because it would mislead…
May a Maryland judge direct a nonprofit mediation provider listed in court referral materials?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-08 permits the judge to serve on the nonprofit mediation provider's board, provided the judge avoids reviews identifying mediation parties and the role does not…
Did Maryland's 2021 judicial ethics opinion permit a District Court Commissioner to use medical cannabis?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-06 concluded that a judicial appointee could not use medical cannabis because federal law criminalized its use at issuance, despite Maryland's medical cannabis…
May a Maryland judge tell other judges that a charity has begun producing handmade judicial robes?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2021-03 permits tailored information to court media staff and judges, especially those who asked, while strongly discouraging broader outreach and social media…
May a Maryland District Court Commissioner work part time as a youth program advocate?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-20 permits the described part-time youth advocate job after disclosure and Chief Judge approval, where it does not place the Commissioner in court for a child…
May a Maryland judge send a requested character letter for a former employee facing an attorney grievance?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-22 bars a character letter to the Attorney Grievance Commission without a subpoena because it is tantamount to testimony in an adjudicatory matter and could…
May a Maryland judge running for election join a charity walk and post it on the campaign website?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-14 permits walking and giving personally, with solicitation limited to family and eligible judges, but bars campaign-site promotion and public listing of the…
May a Maryland judge join a Black Lives Matter protest, march, or rally?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-13 says a judge should not join the type of Black Lives Matter event described, because its focus on policing and the justice system could cause a reasonable…
May Maryland judges preside over Assistant State’s Attorney oath ceremonies in a courtroom during court hours?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-02 permits judges to preside over these courtroom oath ceremonies with limits on court resources, remarks, invitations, and the appearance of favoritism toward…
Must a campaigning Maryland judge recuse whenever a lawyer appearing before the judge donated to the campaign?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-04 rejects automatic recusal for every lawyer contribution; recusal and disclosure depend on the circumstances of the particular proceeding.
May a Maryland District Court commissioner work temporarily as a Census Bureau enumerator?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2020-06 says a District Court commissioner may not work as a census enumerator because door-to-door contacts could conflict with commissioner duties and undermine…
May a newly appointed Maryland judge retain a real estate partnership with former law partners whose firms rent its property?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-35 says the judge may not retain the described partnership interest and should relinquish it as soon as financially practicable.
May a campaigning Maryland Circuit Court judge use a personal social media account to publicize campaign fundraisers and seek support?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-30 permits the candidate-judge to use personal social media for campaign fundraising posts and links, including a slate donation page, while complying with…
May a Maryland judge take part in a study of judicial diversity in state courts?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-27 permits participation in the described diversity study, but the judge must avoid answers suggesting a predisposition in cases and comply with the judicial…
May a Maryland judge appear in a private elementary school advertisement identifying the judge’s position?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-31 says the judge may not appear in the proposed school advertisement because it would use the prestige of judicial office to promote the school.
May a campaigning Maryland judge have an election committee email fundraising flyers to local bar members, including judges?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-28 permits the election committee to email fundraising flyers to local bar members, including judges, subject to campaign-content and election-law limits.
May a Maryland District Court commissioner take paid substitute teaching work in a public school?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-26 permits the described paid public-school substitute teaching because it does not interfere with commissioner duties or constitute prohibited business-entity…
May a Maryland judge endorse a former law clerk or another attorney on Avvo?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-24 bars a judge from endorsing a former clerk or any attorney on Avvo because the public profile would lend judicial prestige to the attorney’s marketing.
Must a Maryland judge recuse from a criminal trial after hearing a related protective or peace order petition?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-22 rejects automatic recusal, but requires the judge to assess whether the earlier hearing creates an appearance of impropriety in the criminal trial.
May an incoming Maryland law clerk accept a repayable salary advance from a future law firm employer?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-14 says a judge may not permit the incoming clerk to accept a repayable firm salary advance before or during the clerkship, even if the judge recuses from the…
May a Maryland judge give an interview for a memoir written by a person the judge sentenced?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2019-13 permits the described interview about a concluded case, subject to limits on pending-case comments, nonpublic information, outside activity, and exploitation…
May a Maryland District Court commissioner sell Mary Kay products as an independent contractor?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2018-38 says a commissioner may not sell Mary Kay products as an employee or independent contractor because the business and customer payments conflict with…
May a Maryland judge serve as a military reserve judge advocate and accept standard pay?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2018-26 permits judge advocate service and assigned legal duties during military service, with other judicial-conduct rules still applying, and permits standard…
What must a Maryland judge who is not a candidate do when a spouse campaigns or wants a yard sign?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2018-14 leaves the spouse free to campaign, but bars the judge’s own partisan activity and calls for steps to avoid implied endorsement, with unresolved concerns…
May a Maryland judge write a character testimonial or voluntarily testify for a physician in litigation?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2018-16 bars the proposed testimonial letter and says a judge should testify as a character witness only when subpoenaed, discouraging a subpoena absent unusual…
May a Maryland District Court commissioner drive for a rideshare company outside court work?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2018-03 says a commissioner may not drive for a rideshare company as an employee or independent contractor because the private business relationship, passenger…
May incumbent Maryland judges wear robes in individual or slate campaign photographs?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2017-37 permits an incumbent judge to appear robed in campaign photos and permits a slate of incumbent judges to pose together in robes.
May a Maryland judge write to local attorneys encouraging them to take pro bono clinic cases?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2017-35 permits the judge to send the Committee’s revised pro bono invitation to attorneys, provided the encouragement is neither coercive nor an abuse of judicial…
Does recusal when a lawyer acquaintance is a party require a Maryland judge to recuse whenever that lawyer later appears as counsel?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2017-28 says no: recusal from the lawyer’s own case does not automatically extend to cases where the lawyer is counsel, and the initial recusal does not violate the…
Must a Maryland judge disclose that an appearing attorney once served as the judge’s law clerk?
Maryland Judicial Ethics Opinion 2017-21 says a former clerk relationship alone requires neither recusal nor disclosure when impartiality is objectively sound; disclosure in that situation remains…
Browse Maryland Judicial Ethics Committee opinions by topic
Legal ethics opinions from the Maryland Judicial Ethics Committee interpret the rules of professional conduct for working lawyers, in response to inquiries from members and committees. They are advisory, not binding like court discipline decisions, but courts and discipline boards treat formal opinions as substantial guidance on how the rules apply. Every opinion above has a plain-English question and short answer, plus a link to the original source on the bar's site.