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.
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Must a Maryland judge recuse when a spouse's nephew appears as counsel, or when another lawyer from the nephew's firm appears?
The Committee required disqualification when either nephew personally appeared. A different lawyer from one nephew's firm did not automatically require recusal; the opinion identified impartiality…
Could a new Maryland judge receive a later share of estate fees from successor counsel when the amount was not fixed in advance?
The Committee declined to decide statutory compliance, but considered rigid rejection of the described arrangements very unlikely if future payments were disclosed and the judge did not hear cases…
Could unopposed Maryland judges continue speaking and working for opposed colleagues in their joint election campaign?
Yes, on the facts described. The Committee treated the unopposed judges as candidates through the general election and allowed them to keep speaking and working for the joint campaign, with no new…
Could a Maryland judge attend a testimonial dinner in the judge's honor?
Yes, if the dinner was neither directly nor indirectly tied to fundraising or solicitation. The Committee said even a ticket price above meal cost would count, and any gift would matter for the…
Could Maryland judges who were immediate candidates in a joint retention campaign publicly support one another?
Yes. The Committee read Canon XXVII's election exception to permit immediate judicial candidates to endorse and work for one another in a united campaign, while still treating endorsements for…
Could a citizens' group use a Maryland judge's individual robe photograph in judicial election materials?
Yes. The Committee said then-cited Canons and Rules did not prohibit or limit individual robe photographs in campaign publicity, including a citizens' group's endorsement materials; the restriction…
Could a Maryland judge take part in a federal agency's film of simulated grand jury proceedings?
The Committee found the judge's participation unobjectionable. It left interpretation of the local circuit rule governing filming to that circuit's judges.
When could a newly appointed Maryland judge speak at political gatherings before the judge's first election?
The Committee treated every newly appointed judge as an immediate candidate upon taking office and allowed attendance and speaking at political gatherings from qualification until the general…
Could a Maryland judge participate in a televised mock juvenile trial for public education?
Yes, for the proposed studio production. The Committee found participation unobjectionable and potentially encouraged by Canon XXII, provided the tape was not used for fundraising or directly…
Could a Maryland judge continue as unpaid president and director of a nonprofit senior-housing corporation?
Yes, on the submitted facts. The Committee said Rule 6's corporate-office prohibition did not apply to this nonprofit charity with no stock, while Rule 8 barred the judge's participation in fundraising.
Could a full-time Maryland judge remain a director of a corporation operating a radio station?
No. The Committee treated the federally regulated broadcaster as a business affected with a public interest under then-cited Rule 6 and said a full-time judge could not serve it as director or in…
Could a Maryland judge keep providing part-time accounting services to four clients?
No. The Committee found the small time commitment unlikely to interfere with judging, but concluded the services were impermissible whether viewed as legal work by a lawyer-accountant or as…
Could a Maryland judge who was not running for election support or contribute to another judicial candidate's campaign?
No. The Committee said an ostensibly nonpartisan campaign for another judge was still political activity and rejected public endorsement and contributions by a judge outside the judge's own campaign.
Could a Maryland juvenile court judge serve on charitable boards, including agencies that handled court referrals?
The Committee approved continued service on two identified boards if the judge did no fundraising. It flagged agencies appearing before the court or receiving its referrals and declined to decide…
Could a Maryland judge remain a paid director and executive committee member of a newspaper publisher?
Yes, under the stated no-editorial-policy condition and Rule 6's conflict limits. The Committee allowed reasonable compensation but expressly declined to judge whether the proposed $3,000 fee was…
Could a Maryland judge administer a father's estate and remain a director or paid consultant to the father's insurance brokerage?
The Committee allowed estate and trust fiduciary service subject to Canon XXVI's investment concern, but barred a director or other employment role with the regulated insurance brokerage under Rule 6.
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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.