Traveling free to Las Vegas on a law firm's private plane that frequently handles traffic tickets in your court is proper or improper?

Traveling free to Las Vegas on a law firm's private plane that frequently handles traffic tickets in your court is proper or improper?

• A. Improper
• B. Depends
• C. Cannot be determined
• D. Proper

Answer: (A)

Accepting free travel from a law firm that regularly appears before your court creates an appearance of bias and undermines public trust in the judge’s impartiality. Judges must avoid gifts or favors from people or entities with business before the court. Because this firm routinely handles traffic-ticket cases in your court, letting them pay for a trip to Las Vegas could be seen as an obligation or influence, even if there is no actual favoritism. This kind of travel is generally prohibited by ethics rules that bar gifts connected to official duties, so it is improper.

Accepting free travel from a law firm that regularly appears before your court creates an appearance of bias and undermines public trust in the judge’s impartiality. Judges must avoid gifts or favors from people or entities with business before the court. Because this firm routinely handles traffic-ticket cases in your court, letting them pay for a trip to Las Vegas could be seen as an obligation or influence, even if there is no actual favoritism. This kind of travel is generally prohibited by ethics rules that bar gifts connected to official duties, so it is improper.