May a newly appointed circuit judge continue volunteering as a high school football sideline broadcaster?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 2021. Ask about yours and see what the current rules of professional conduct in your state say for your facts, with citations.
Plain-English summary
A circuit judge-select had volunteered for seven years as a local radio sideline broadcaster for high school football games. The broadcast work was not connected to the schools or school board, and the judge reported no apparent conflicts involving fellow broadcasters.
The Commission concluded that continuing the volunteer broadcasting would not violate Code rules on extrajudicial activity because the described work did not appear to create a conflict or appearance of impropriety.
In practice
The permission addresses the specific volunteer broadcast arrangement, including its lack of school employment or identified conflicts.
Common questions
Q: Could the judge continue broadcasting?
A: Yes. The Commission allowed the described volunteer role.
Q: Was the broadcasting connected to the schools?
A: No. The opinion states the job was not connected to the schools or board of education.
Background and rules framework
The opinion applies the Code’s general outside-activity concern to the described volunteer broadcasting. It does not cite a numbered rule.
See also
Source
- Landing page: West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission advisory opinions
- Original PDF: JIC Advisory Opinion 2021-17, redacted
Original opinion text
Best-effort transcription from a scanned PDF. Minor errors may remain; the linked PDF is authoritative.
JUDICIAL INVESTIGATION COMMISSION
City Center East - Suite 1200 A
4700 MacCorkle Ave., SE
Charleston, West Virginia 25304
(304) 558-0169 • FAX (304) 558-0831
August 11, 2021
Re: JIC Advisory Opinion 2021-17.
Dear Judge-Select
Your recent request for an advisory opinion was reviewed by the Judicial Investigation Commission. The factual scenario giving rise to your request is as follows: you have recently
been appointed Circuit Court Judge for
County. For the past seven years, you
volunteered your time for a local radio station as a sideline broadcaster of local high school football games. Your job as a broadcaster is not connected to the schools or board of education. The people you work with broadcasting do not hold public jobs and do not appear that they would cause any potential conflicts. You would like to know if you can continue your public service of broadcasting high school football games?
The Commission has reviewed the Code of Judicial Conduct to address the question which you have raised. The Commission is of the opinion that you volunteering as a sideline broadcaster would not violate any rules of the Code of Judicial Conduct governing extrajudicial activities because there does not appear anything that would lead to potential conflicts or an appearance of impropriety.
We hope this opinion fully addresses the issue which you have raised. If there is any further question regarding this matter do not hesitate to contact the Commission.
Sincerely,
Alan D. Moats, Chairperson
Judicial Investigation Commission
ADM/bjl
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