WPCv /MDB|[z@kyϜi\VEWl70~*޷+YUƶişjٹ0=K>ʼ~A^UUhr 1}ɤ?{'~9tF|!kb#w/LTw0'_.+rcƄ6gx&<^Oɤg\Kwu$Z(]=۳H&2&M]}Bz =V槶gt1f޳7ڜs)b+߈{vU N-aག # ~UN % 0(wF4K_nHP LaserJet 5/5M PostScriptPSCRIPT0nL(9 Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($ .D/0E12D3456E78E$3|x8 !    TR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'TJUDICIALETHICSCOMMITTEE  OPINIONNO.,_______,-984-    WehavebeenaskedtorenderanethicsopinionregardingtheCodeofJudicialEthics,specifically,whetherajudgeorjudicialcandidatecanrespondtoprobativequestionnairessubmittedtothejudgeorcandidatebyspecialadvocacygroupswhichaskthejudgeorjudicialcandidatethemannerinwhichthecandidatewouldruleinspecificcases,controversiesorissueslikelytocomebeforethecourt,pendingendorsementbysuchgroup.  TheJudicialEthicsCommitteeisoftheopinionthatbyrespondingtosuchindepthandissuespecificquestionnairethejudgeorjudicialcandidatewillviolatetheprovisionsandtheCanonsoftheCodeofJudiciary.̜((  TheJudicialEthicsCommitteebelievesthattheseviolationsoccurwhenajudgeorjudicialcandidate+is+allowshimselforherselftobeswayedbypartisaninterests,publicclamororfearofcriticism.Byansweringthisquestionnaireandthoselikeit,thereisanappearanceofimproprietybyalackofimpartialityorpanderingtocertaininterests.SeeCanon3B(2)and(9).̜))  TheJudicialEthicsCommitteebelievesthatfurtherviolationsofethicalcanonswilloccurinsuchquestionnairesiftheyareattemptingtoillicitanypromisefromajudgeorcandidateotherthanafairandimpartialperformanceofthedutiesoftheoffice.Itisinappropriateforthecandidatetomakeanystatementorcommitmentastotheadjudicationofcases,controversiesorissuesbeforethecourt.Anystatementsmadebythejudgeorjudicialcandidaterequireastrictuseofdiscretioninmakingsurethereisnottheappearanceofpartialityorfavortoaspecificinterestorgroup.Asamatterofpublicconfidenceinlaw,judgesandjudicialcandidatesmustguardagainstanyconductthathasatendencytodiminishpublicconfidenceintheimpartialityofthejudiciary.SeeCanon5(A)(3)(a)andCanon5(A)(3)(d)(I) 4/4 &(ii).̜''  Ifthejudgeorjudicialcandidateissolicitedtoansweroneoftheseprobativequestionnaires,whichaddressesspecificissuesandthemannerinwhichthejudgeorcandidatewillrule,thecandidateshouldrefusetoanswerinanywaythatwouldunderminethepublic