Could a judge serve as parliamentarian at a credit union’s annual membership meeting?

Plain-English summary

A judge was asked to serve as parliamentarian at a community federal credit union’s annual membership meeting. The described role was to see that Robert’s Rules of Order were followed.

The Commission found nothing in the judicial Code that barred the judge from serving in that described capacity.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1994, before West Virginia adopted its 2015 Code of Judicial Conduct, effective December 1, 2015. Subsequent rule changes or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context and verify the current Code before relying on the letter's conclusion.

Common questions

Q: Could the judge serve as parliamentarian?

A: Yes. The Commission found no Code bar to the described role.

Q: What duties were described?

A: Ensuring that Robert’s Rules of Order were followed at the annual meeting.

Background and rules framework

The Commission considered the described credit union meeting role under the Code of Judicial Conduct generally and cited no numbered Canon.

Citations and references

The letter cites the West Virginia Code of Judicial Conduct generally, without a numbered Canon.

See also

• WV JIC Advisory Opinion 1995-29: Debate and nursing home secretary

Source

• Landing page: West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission advisory opinions
• Original PDF: JIC Advisory Opinion 1994-25, redacted
• Code adoption date: West Virginia JIC 2015 Annual Report

Original opinion text

Best-effort transcription from a scanned PDF. Minor errors may remain; the linked PDF is authoritative.

JUDICIAL INVESTIGATION COMMISSION
212 Dickinson Street
Post Office Box 1629
Charleston, West Virginia 25326-1629
(304) 558-0169 FAX (304) 558-0831

December 9, 1994

Re: JIC Advisory Opinion 1994-25

Dear
Your recent request for an advisory opinion directed to the Judicial Investigation Commission was considered by the Commission at its recent meeting.
In that correspondence you state that you have been asked to serve as a parliamentarian at the annual membership
meeting of the
Community Federal credit Union.
You indicate that the mandated annual meeting is for all
members of the Credit Union and its main purpose is to
explain the progress the Credit Union has made during the
past year. Your responsibility would be to see that Robert's
Rules of Order are followed.
The Commission feel that there would be nothing in the Code of Judicial Conduct which would preclude you from serving in the capacity which you describe in your correspondence.
If there is any further question regarding this matter, do not hesitate to contac the Collllnission. ry tr!ly yours,

. ni;l :i.
Fed L.e, II, Chairman
FLF,II/bl