Wyoming Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee Ethics Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the Wyoming Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, with full citations and source links on every page.
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May a Wyoming district judge apply for an appointed federal executive branch job while serving?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2021-01 permits the judge to apply without resigning. If selected, the judge must resign from the district court before the federal appointment.
May a full-time Wyoming circuit judge take a paid regional liaison role on impaired driving law?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2020-01 answers no for the proposed paid ABA Judicial Division liaison role. The committee cited the judge's full-time statutory duties and concerns about compensation, outside…
Must a judge recuse when the judge's law clerk hires a lawyer who appears in pending cases?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2019-02 permits the judge to continue with cases pending before the clerk retained counsel if the clerk is screened from all matters involving that lawyer. The committee says…
May a Wyoming judge's spouse volunteer as a CASA advocate in the judge's district?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2019-01 permits the spouse's CASA work on limited facts, but the judge should not preside over any case involving the spouse. Broader spouse involvement with people in…
May a Wyoming circuit judge keep hearing domestic violence cases if the judge's spouse directs a victim advocacy organization?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2018-02 permits the judge to continue hearing domestic violence cases if the spouse becomes the organization's director. It says the promotion alone does not automatically…
May a Wyoming judge give character testimony about a lawyer at a disciplinary hearing without a subpoena?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2018-01 says the judge may give the anticipated character testimony only if formally summoned or subpoenaed. It distinguishes factual cooperation with a disciplinary agency from…
May a Wyoming circuit judge join a local council lobbying for domestic violence law changes?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2016-04 says the circuit judge may not join the described local council because its lobbying and members' work overlap with cases the judge hears. It permits infrequent guest…
May a part-time Wyoming municipal judge defend criminal cases in circuit or district court?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2016-03 permits a part-time municipal judge to represent criminal defendants in other courts, including within the same county. The judge must keep clients out of the court…
May a Wyoming judge send a personal character letter for a relative's criminal sentencing?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2016-02 says the judge may not voluntarily send the proposed character letter to the sentencing judge, even without judicial letterhead or a stated title. Rule 3.3 permits such…
May a Wyoming circuit judge chair the Episcopal Diocese's clergy disciplinary committee?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2016-01 permits the judge to serve as disciplinary committee president because the described role is supervisory and unlikely to cause frequent disqualification. The opinion…
May the Wyoming Supreme Court seek competitive grants for a public judicial learning center?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2014-04 permits the court to apply for the described public, competitive educational grants. It conditions the analysis on the grantors' low likelihood of appearing in court and…
May Wyoming Supreme Court justices or court staff solicit private donations for a judicial learning center?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2014-03 says neither the justices nor the court's Administrative Office should solicit or receive private donations for the center. A third party may collect them, and justices…
May a Wyoming juvenile judge give general parenting information on an unpaid television program?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2014-02 permits the judge's unpaid weekly parenting segment as a licensed family therapist. The program gives only general information, does not discuss juvenile justice, and…
May a Wyoming municipal judge sign a resignation agreement with a confidentiality clause?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2014-01 concludes that the municipal judge may sign the proposed termination agreement. Its mutual confidentiality clause, with legal and advisory exceptions, does not violate…
May a Wyoming judge serve on environmental and women's nonprofit boards?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2012-02 finds no general bar to serving on either described board, subject to Rules 3.1 and 3.7 and the judge's actual duties. It says the women's organization is not shown to…
Must a Wyoming judge report travel and meals paid directly by an extrajudicial event sponsor?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2012-01 treats a sponsor's direct payment for a judge's travel, meals, and lodging as reportable under Rule 3.15(A)(3) when the threshold is met. If the judge does not know the…
May a Wyoming judge publicly advocate increasing the maximum sentence for repeat DUI?
The majority in Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2011-01 says the judge should not publicly take a position on the proposed repeat-DUI sentence change, but may provide factual experience with the law. A dissent…
When may a Wyoming retention-election judge prepare for or campaign against active opposition?
Wyoming JEAC Opinion 2010-01 found no current active opposition from old rumors alone. It permits limited preparation when opposition is reasonably imminent, but says a nonpartisan committee may not…
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Legal ethics opinions from the Wyoming Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Advisory 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.