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JUDICIAL INVESTIGATION COMMISSION
ADVISORY OPINIONS

In 2021, the Judicial Investigation Commission decided to update the JIC Advisory Opinion Website. All relevant opinions were redacted to remove the identifying information of the requestor and uploaded in their entirety to the website. Importantly, they are now searchable by assigned number, topic and/or Code provision. Obsolete opinions were identified and retired.

Numbers were given to each advisory opinion. The number to the left of the hyphen (-) represents the year in which the advisory opinion was written. The number to the right of the hyphen (-) is the actual opinion number. New topics were created, and each advisory opinion was ascribed one or more for ease of reference. Lengthy summaries were reduced to questions(s) presented and applicable Code Rules have been listed to the right of them. Not every advisory opinion contains a Rule.

Beginning with JIC AO 2015-23 through the current advisory opinion, the Rules cited pertain to the West Virginia Code of Judicial Conduct in effect from December 1, 2015 to the present time. Beginning with JIC Advisory Opinion 1993-02 through JIC Advisory Opinion 2015-19, the Rules cited pertain to the Code in effect from January 1, 1993 through November 30, 2015. Beginning with JIC Advisory Opinion 1985-01 through JIC Advisory Opinion 1992-23, the Rules cited pertain to the Code in effect from January 1, 1973 through December 31, 1992.

Retired Advisory Opinions from 6/6/2023

Retired Advisory Opinions from 12/10/2021

Old to new code conversion

Advisory Opinion Topic Words

 

Complaint Number Topic Question/Code Reference
2008-04 campaign activities and public comment

What campaign statements can a judicial candidate make in light of Minnesota v. White, 122 S. Ct. 2528 (2002)? [5A(3)(a), 5A(3)(d)(i) and 5A(3)(d)(ii)]
2008-03 financial activities and rental property

Can a judicial candidate maintain an interest in an LLC with two non-lawyers who own and manage residential and commercial property? [4D(3)]
2008-02 campaign activities, charity, civic and fundraising

Can a judge engage in fundraising for his/her campaign? [5C(2)]
What, if anything, may a judge do at fundraising events for a civic or charitable organization? [4C(3)(a) and 4C(3)(b)]
2008-01 disclosure/ disqualification, campaign activities and campaign committee

Is it permissible for a family court judge to have as his/her campaign manager a lawyer who practices regularly in his/her courtroom? [3E(1)]
2007-31 judicial duties and administrative responsibilities

Can a judge appoint his secretary’s lawyer son to indigent cases? [3A, 3B(1) and 3B(2)]
2007-30 campaign committee and financial activities

If a judicial candidate 100% finances his/her campaign on his/her own is he/she required to have a campaign committee? [5C(2)]
2007-29 ex parte, staff, campaign activities and disclosure/disqualification

Can a judge confer with his/her probation officer without holding a hearing or notifying the parties to the case? [3B(7)]
Must a judge disclose the relationship between the judge and his/her campaign manager and/or treasurer when they are attorneys who regularly appear before the judge?
2007-28 campaign activities and resign to run

Does a mental hygiene commissioner have to resign his position once he/she has filed pre-candidacy papers to run for prosecuting attorney? [5A(1), 5A(2) and 6]
Is a mental hygiene commissioner able to serve as the campaign treasurer for prosecuting attorney candidate?
2007-27 campaign activities

Can a family court judge use the term “judge” when running for circuit court? [None]
2007-26 extrajudicial activities and appearance of impropriety/impropriety

May a magistrate join the Daughters of the American Revolution? [2C]