Opinion 24-152

September 12, 2024

Facts/Issue:    A judge who is an officer of a judicial association asks if it is permissible to run a 50/50 drawing during the association’s members-only meeting to raise funds for operational expenses.  Tickets would only be sold to judges at the meeting, and the proceeds would be evenly split between the winning judge and the judicial association.

Discussion:     We have said a trial judge may coordinate a raffle (assuming its lawfulness) at a magistrates’ association training program to raise money from other co-equal judges over whom he/she has no supervisory authority, to purchase commemorative plaques for display at local court facilities.  In such circumstances, we saw “no risk of an appearance of coercion” and concluded the interactions reflect ordinary workplace collegiality, rather than improper exploitation of judicial status.  We have extended this principle to permit judges to solicit charitable donations from other judges over whom they have no supervisory or appellate authority.

Conclusion:     A judicial association may raise funds for its operations by conducting a 50/50 drawing at a meeting, provided tickets are not sold to non-judges.  A judge selling tickets to the drawing should take care to sell only to co-equal judges, rather than to (if applicable) any judges over whom he/she may have supervisory or appellate authority.

Authorities:    Opinions 23-136; 20-132; 18-53; 16-153.