011322 SCJEO, JUD 01-2022

• Case Date: January 13, 2022
• Court: South Carolina

JUD 01-2022 Opinion No. 01-2022 South Carolina Judicial Ethics Opinion Advisory Committee On Standards Of Judicial Conduct January 13, 2022          RE: The propriety of an appellate court judge accepting an award from an environmental group.          FACTS          An appellate judge seeks an opinion regarding the acceptance of an award during a formal black-tie dinner and ball. The award and the ball is sponsored by an environmental non-profit organization designed to create awareness of environmental sustainability through educational initiatives. The organization wants to acknowledge the judge’s environmental leadership and continuous support for conservation of South Carolina’s natural environment. In addition, the organization wants to honor the judge for leadership in an organization-sponsored event that involved a 30 day environmental expedition across the State. The judge’s son will also receive a separate award that includes a $1,000.00 honorarium. The judge inquires as to the propriety of the judge accepting an award under these circumstances.          CONCLUSION          The judge may accept an award from a non-profit environmental group.          OPINION          We have long recognized that a judge may be engaged in service on or for a civic or charitable organization under Canon 4, provided that it is unlikely that the organization would frequently be engaged in proceedings that come before the judge’s court. Thus, we see no prohibition against an environmental non-profit organization recognizing the judge’s service in that area.          With regard to the son’s separate award and an honorarium, the Code of Judicial Conduct provides:

A judge shall not accept, and shall urge members of the judge's family residing in the judge's household, not to accept, a gift, bequest, favor or loan from anyone except for… a gift, award or benefit incident to the business, profession or other

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