Can a Judge have a web site?

January 28th, 2011

The Florida Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee says yes. The opinion is here and an explanation from the Legal Profession blog is here.

Based on the minority’s positions expressed above, the minority believes that the committee should rephrase the inquiring judge’s question as “May a judge create and privately maintain a website designed primarily to focus high school students on college or trade school preparation to the extent the judge also intends to include links for:  (1) assistance for domestic violence victims and batterers, and (2) description of a domestic violence case from which the inquiring judge was recused?”  The minority believes that the committee should answer the rephrased question as follows:  “Yes, to the extent the inquiring judge intends to include a link for assistance for domestic violence victims and batterers.  No, to the extent the inquiring judge intends to include a link describing a domestic violence case from which the inquiring judge was recused.  As to the remainder of the inquiry, the committee does not have enough information to render an opinion.”