Terminology

“Compensation” means payment to a judge by another for services rendered but does not include moneys received by a judge from his investments or for services to a family business permitted under Rule 3.11(A) and (B).

“Contribution” means both financial and in-kind contributions, such as goods, professional or volunteer services, advertising, and other types of assistance, which, if obtained by the recipient otherwise, would require a financial expenditure.

“Domestic partner” means a person with whom another person maintains a household and an intimate relationship, other than a person to whom he or she is legally married.

“Economic interest" means ownership of a legal or equitable interest however small, or a relationship as director, advisor, or other active participant in the affairs of a party, except that:

(i) ownership in a mutual or common investment fund that holds securities is not an "economic interest" in such securities unless the judge participates in the management of the fund;

(ii) an office in an educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organization is not an "economic interest" in securities held by the organization;

(iii) the proprietary interest of a policyholder in a mutual insurance company, or a depositor in a mutual savings association, or a similar proprietary interest, is an "economic interest" in the organization only if the outcome of the proceeding could substantially affect the value of the interest;

(iv) ownership of government securities is an "economic interest" in the issuer only if the outcome of the proceeding could substantially affect the value of the securities.

“Fiduciary” includes relationships such as executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian. “Impartial,” “impartiality,” and “impartially” mean absence of bias or prejudice in favor of, or against, particular parties or classes of parties, as well as maintenance of an open mind in considering issues that may come before a judge. “Impending matter” is a matter that is imminent or expected to occur in the near future.

“Impropriety” includes conduct that violates the law, court rules, or provisions of this Code, and conduct that undermines a judge’s independence, integrity, or impartiality.

“Independence” means a judge’s freedom from influence or controls other than those established by law.

“Integrity” means probity, fairness, honesty, uprightness, and soundness of character. “Knowingly,” “knowledge,” “known,” and “knows” mean actual knowledge of the fact in question. A person’s knowledge may be inferred from circumstances. “Law” encompasses court rules as well as statutes, constitutional provisions, and decisional law.

“Member of the judge’s family” means persons related to the judge or the judge’s spouse or domestic partner within the third degree of relationship calculated according to the civil law system, and any other relatives with whom the judge or the judge’s spouse or domestic partner maintains a close familial relationship, and the spouse or domestic partner of any of the foregoing.

“Member of a judge’s family residing in the judge’s household” means any relative of a judge by blood or marriage, or a person treated by a judge as a member of the judge’s family, who resides in the judge’s household. “Pending matter” is a matter that has commenced. A matter continues to be pending through any appellate process until final disposition.

“Political organization” means a political party or other group sponsored by or affiliated with a political party or candidate, the principal purpose of which is to further the election or appointment of candidates for political office. “Third degree of relationship calculated according to the civil law system” includes the following persons: great-grandparent, grandparent, parent, uncle, aunt, brother, sister, child, grandchild, great-grandchild, nephew, and niece.