Rule 3.12 Compensation for Extrajudicial Activities

Judges sometimes do activities outside of their court work, like giving a speech or teaching a class, and they may get paid for it. This kind of payment is called extrajudicial compensation. The rules for how much a judge can accept, and under what conditions, are set by the Ethics Commission and other laws, not by this rule itself.

Even if a judge is allowed to accept payment for outside activities, they should still think twice before taking it. If accepting the money would make a reasonable person question whether the judge can stay fair, honest, or independent, the judge should turn it down. The main point is protecting public trust. Judges need to avoid situations where outside pay could look like it's influencing their judgment, even if the payment is technically allowed.