081020 SCJEO, ETH 10-2020

• Case Date: August 10, 2020
• Court: South Carolina

ETH 10-2020 Opinion No. 10-2020 South Carolina Judicial Ethics Opinion Advisory Committee On Standards Of Judicial Conduct August 10, 2020          ORDER           LETITIA H. VERDIN, CHAIR.          RE: Propriety of a Magistrate Court Judge participating in a formal theological debate where the host church will seek an offering to aid ministries and people in India/Asia.          FACTS          A Magistrate Court Judge is enrolled in a Ph.D. program in theology and is writing a dissertation on a famous theologian and philosopher. Out of these studies, a topic has arisen that has led to a formal public dialogue/debate opportunity that the Magistrate will participate in with three other theologians. The debate will take place at a local church. The host church desires to have a “love offering” during the intermission of the debate to raise funds for compassion and mission work to poor ministries and people in India and Asia. The Magistrate would not be personally seeking, promoting, or soliciting any donations, nor would the Magistrate physically collect any of the donations. The Master of Ceremonies and elders from the host church would speak about the offering and take up the collection during the intermission of the 3-hour debate. The Magistrate could leave the stage during this intermission if necessary. The Magistrate inquires as to the propriety of participating in a debate where the host site seeks an offering.          CONCLUSION          A Magistrate Court Judge may participate in a formal theological debate where the host church will seek an offering to aid ministries and people in India/Asia, provided that the Magistrate does not personally seek or collect any funds and provided that the Magistrate does not remain on the stage during the offering.          OPINION          The Committee has not addressed this exact situation before. The most similar decision is Opinion 26-2000 in which a full-time circuit court judge inquired as the propriety of participating in a church video encouraging parishioners to become active in the church and its fund-raising activities. We noted that a judge is...