Virginia's Judicial System


Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee Opinions

Opinions 2016 - Present | Opinions 1999 – 2008

2024

24-2 Ex Parte Communications in Recovery Court Programs 09/16//2024

2023

23-1 Whether a judge should recuse when an attorney is an elected member of the Board of Supervisors for the locality 02/23/2024

2022

22-2 An active judge may not concurrently serve on the United States Court of Military Commission Review 03/07/2023

2021

21-1 A judge may serve as a member of the judiciary board of a church 05/13/2021

2020

20-3 retired judge serving on the recall list may also serve as an administrative hearing officer conducting hearings involving Title IX complaints for a private university 06/09/2021
20-2 A judge may not write and publish an article asserting a particular criminal law statute has been incorrectly interpreted by the Supreme Court of Virginia and providing an alternative interpretation, even with appropriate disclaimers 03/12/2021
20-1  A judge may direct the court clerk to include with unlawful detainer summonses additional materials which describe legal and financial assistance available to tenants, under specific proscribed parameters and procedures 03/12/2021

2019

19-4 A judge may hear cases involving an attorney who co-owns a limited liability company that rents a parking space to the judge, with disclosure of the relevant facts to, and waiver of, the parties and the attorneys involved 05/01/2020
19-3 A judge may participate in a continuing legal education seminar presented by a local bar association, where attendees are charged a fee for admission and which may result in a profit for the bar association, subject to restrictions imposed by the Canons of Judicial Conduct 10/01/2019
19-2 A judge may wear a judicial robe while attending the retirement ceremony for another judge to be held in a courtroom 08/27/2019
19-1 A judge should not wear his or her judicial robe while attending the funeral service for another judge 04/12/2019

2017

17-1 A judge may serve and participate in an honorary capacity during a festival and related events sponsored by a community-based non-profit organization, subject to restrictions imposed by the Canons of Judicial Conduct 07/27/2017

2016

16-2 A substitute judge who represents a local police union and its police officer members under an ongoing contract shall not preside in cases involving local police 09/29/16
16-1 Recusal When a Lawyer Who Regularly Appears Before a Judge is a Party or Witness in a Proceeding Before that Judge 04/28/16