In Re: Amendment of Rule 4.4 of the Rules Governing Standards of Conduct of Magisterial District Judges

Summary

This document amends Rule 4.4 of the Rules Governing Standards of Conduct of Magisterial District Judges. The rule addresses campaign committees for judicial candidates, including campaign contributions, fundraising periods, endorsements, and disclosure requirements.

Holdings

1. A judicial candidate subject to public election may establish a campaign committee to manage and conduct the campaign, including seeking, accepting, and using endorsements, subject to the Conduct Rules and other applicable law; the candidate must take reasonable steps to cause the committee to comply with those requirements.
2. A magisterial district judge candidate's campaign committee may solicit and accept only contributions permitted by law or rule; may not begin soliciting or accepting contributions before immediately after the general election in the preceding year or continue fundraising after the last calendar day of the judicial-election year; and must comply with applicable disclosure and divestiture requirements, including specified post-election reporting of contributions.
3. Judicial candidates are prohibited from personally soliciting or personally accepting campaign contributions; those activities may be conducted through a campaign committee in accordance with the Conduct Rules and applicable law.

Questions Presented

1. What activities may a campaign committee of a magisterial district judge candidate subject to public election undertake?
2. What restrictions govern the timing, legality, disclosure, and reporting of campaign contributions received by such a campaign committee?

Disposition

approved