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February
21, 2002
J. Leon Johnson
Attorney at Law
3802 Sierra Forest
Little Rock, AR 72212
RE: Advisory
Opinion # 2002-01
Dear Mr.
Johnson:
You have
asked this Committee whether, as an announced candidate for
Circuit Judge, you would be in violation of the Arkansas Code
of Judicial Conduct by accepting an invitation to serve as a
panelist on the Annual Telethon of the United Negro College
Fund (UNCF). You would be required to contact friends and acquaintances
to solicit contributions to the UNCF. You would be expected
to raise a minimum of $1,000. The telethon is not, you state,
a political event; there would be no voter solicitation and
you would not be identified as a candidate for judicial office.
In the
opinion of the Committee, you are not prohibited under the Code
from participating in this event. The fund-raising activities
you describe are expressly disallowed under Canon 4C3(b)(iv);
however, Canon 4 applies to judges rather than judicial candidates.
Judicial candidates are covered under Canon 5, which contains
no similar restriction.
Sincerely,
Steele Hays
For the Committee
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