Title: In Re: Amendments to Canon 6 of the Code of Judicial Conduct

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC18-648 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO CANON 6 
OF THE CODE OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT. 
 
[May 10, 2018] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Court, on its own motion, amends the Code of Judicial Conduct (Code) 
to clarify the Canon 6A(3) public reporting requirement for the reimbursement or 
direct payment of expenses, and waiver of fees or charges associated with a 
judge’s participation in quasi-judicial and extrajudicial activities permitted by the 
Code.1   
 
In a recent advisory opinion, the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee 
(JEAC) concluded that Canon 6A(3) requires a judge who attends a quasi-judicial 
activity, like one of the annual, statewide conferences of judges, to report the 
reimbursement or direct payment of the judge’s travel expenses by the State of 
                                          
 
 
1.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
 
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Florida, if the reimbursement or payment exceeds $100 individually or combined 
with other such reimbursements or direct payments in the same calendar year.  See 
Fla. JEAC Op. 2018–7, at 4-5.  In the same advisory opinion, the JEAC advised 
that Canon 6A(3) requires a judge, who is designated by a conference of judges to 
travel to Tallahassee concerning legislative matters, to report the reimbursement 
and direct payment of the judge’s travel expenses, if they exceed $100 from the 
same source in the same calendar year.  Id. at 5.   
In 2017, when the Court amended Canon 6 to require a judge to report the 
reimbursement or direct payment of expenses, and the waiver of fees or charges 
associated with the judge’s participation in quasi-judicial and extrajudicial 
activities permitted by the Code,2 the Court did not intend to require the reporting 
of the reimbursement or direct payment of expenses by the State or a judicial 
branch entity, such as one of conferences of judges recognized by this Court in 
                                          
 
 
2.  In In re Amendments to the Code of Judicial Conduct, 218 So. 3d 432, 
436-39 (Fla. 2017), the Court amended Canons 6A(3) (retitled “Reimbursement or 
Payment of Expenses, and Waiver of Fees or Charges”) and 6B(2) (retitled “Gifts, 
Reimbursements or Payments of Expenses, and Waivers of Fees or Charges”), and 
Form 6A (retitled “Disclosure of Gifts, Expense Reimbursements or Payments, and 
Waivers of Fees and Charges”) to require a judge to report the reimbursement or 
direct payment of expenses, and the waiver of fees or charges associated with the 
judge’s participation in quasi-judicial and extrajudicial activities permitted by the 
Code, when the amount of the reimbursement, payment, or waiver alone or in the 
aggregate with other reimbursements, payments, or waivers received from the 
same source in the same calendar year exceeds $100. 
 
 
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Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.220 (Conferences of Judges).  There is 
no need for such public reporting because in order for the State or a judicial branch 
entity to reimburse or pay the reasonable expenses associated with a judge’s 
participation in a permitted quasi-judicial activity, the judge’s participation in the 
event or activity must be among the responsibilities of that judicial office and 
promote the official business of the court system or the specific judicial branch 
entity.  And, therefore, the reimbursement or payment of such expenses would be a 
public record under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420.  
Therefore, we amend Canon 6A(3) and Form 6A to clarify that a judge must 
only report expense reimbursements and direct payments, and waivers of fees or 
charges, as required by Canons 6A(3) and 6B(2), when the reimbursement, 
payment, or waiver is from a source other than the State or a judicial branch entity, 
as defined in Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(b)(2).3  We also amend 
the Commentary to Canon 6A to explain that the Canon 6A(3) reporting 
requirement is similar to the reporting requirement in Rule 3.15(A)(3) of the 
American Bar Association Model Code of Judicial Conduct (2011), which requires 
                                          
 
 
3.  Under rule 2.420(b)(2), the judicial branch of government “includes the 
state courts system, the clerk of court when acting as an arm of the court, The 
Florida Bar, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, the Judicial Qualifications 
Commission, and all other entities established by or operating under the authority 
of the supreme court or the chief justice.” 
 
 
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a judge to report expense reimbursements and fee waivers associated with the 
judge’s participation in permitted extrajudicial activities, from sources other than 
the judge’s employing entity, when the amount received from same source in the 
same calendar year exceeds a specified amount.  We further amend the 
Commentary to Canon 6A to emphasize that a judge does not have to report the 
amount of the reimbursement, payment, or waiver on Form 6A; only the dates, 
location, and purpose of the event or activity for which expenses were reimbursed 
or paid or fees were waived must be reported.    
Accordingly, we amend the Code of Judicial Conduct, as reflected in the 
appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated by underscoring and deletions 
are indicated by struck-through type.  The amendments are effective immediately 
upon the release of this opinion.  Because the amendments were not published for 
comment prior to their adoption, interested persons shall have sixty days from the 
date of this opinion in which to file comments with the Court.4  The Court 
                                          
 
4.  All comments must be filed with the Court on or before July 9, 2018, 
with a separate request for oral argument if the person filing the comment wishes 
to participate in oral argument, which may be scheduled in this case.  If filed by an 
attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar, the comment must be 
electronically filed via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Portal) in accordance 
with In re Electronic Filing in the Supreme Court of Florida via the Florida 
Courts E-Filing Portal, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC13-7 (Feb. 18, 2013).  If 
filed by a nonlawyer or a lawyer not licensed to practice in Florida, the comment 
may be, but is not required to be, filed via the Portal.  Comments filed via the 
Portal must be submitted in Microsoft Word 97 or higher.  See In re Electronic 
Filing in the Florida Supreme Court, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC17-27 (May 9, 
 
 
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encourages the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, the Conference of District 
Court of Appeal Judges, the Conference of Circuit Court Judges, and the 
Conference of County Court Judges to comment on the amendments. 
It is so ordered. 
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, 
and LAWSON, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceeding – The Code of Judicial Conduct 
 
 
                                          
 
2017).  Any person unable to submit a comment electronically must mail or hand-
deliver the originally signed comment to the Florida Supreme Court, Office of the 
Clerk, 500 South Duval Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1927; no additional 
copies are required or will be accepted. 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
Canon 6. Fiscal Matters of a Judge Shall be Conducted in a Manner That 
Does Not Give the Appearance of Influence or Impropriety; a Judge Shall 
Regularly File Public Reports as Required by Article II, Section 8, of the 
Constitution of Florida, and Shall Publicly Report Gifts, Expense 
Reimbursements and Payments, and Waivers of Fees or Charges; Additional 
Financial Information Shall be Filed With the Judicial Qualifications 
Commission to Ensure Full Financial Disclosure 
 
 
A.  
Compensation for Quasi-Judicial and Extrajudicial Services, 
Reimbursement or Payment of Expenses, and Waiver of Fees or Charges. 
 
 
A judge may accept compensation, reimbursement, or direct payment of 
expenses, and a waiver or partial waiver of fees or charges for registration, tuition, 
and similar items associated with the judge’s participation in quasi-judicial and 
extrajudicial activities permitted by this Code, if the source of such payments, or 
waiver does not give the appearance of influencing the judge in the performance of 
judicial duties or otherwise give the appearance of impropriety, subject to the 
following restrictions: 
 
 
(1)  
Compensation. Compensation shall not exceed a reasonable amount 
nor shall it exceed what a person who is not a judge would receive for the same 
activity. Compensation is reportable as income under Canon 6B(1). 
 
 
(2)  
Honoraria and Speaking Fees. A judge may accept honoraria and 
speaking fees that are reasonable and commensurate with the task performed. 
Honoraria and speaking fees are reportable as income under Canon 6B(1). 
 
 
(3)  
Reimbursement or Payment of Expenses, and Waiver of Fees or 
Charges. Expense reimbursement shall be limited to the actual cost of travel, food, 
and lodging reasonably incurred by the judge and, where appropriate to the 
occasion, to the judge’s spouse. Any payment in excess of such an amount is 
compensation and is reportable as income under Canon 6B(1). Reimbursement or 
direct payment of expenses, and waiver or partial waiver of fees or charges for the 
judge or the judge’s spouse or guest, from sources other than the state or a judicial 
branch entity as defined in Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(b)(2), the 
amount of which alone or in the aggregate with other reimbursements, payments, 
or waivers received from the same source in the same calendar year exceeds $100, 
shall be reported under Canon 6B(2). 
 
 
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B. – D. 
[No Change] 
 
COMMENTARY 
 
 
Canon 6A. See Section 5D(5)(a)-(h) regarding reporting of gifts, bequests 
and loans. 
 
 
The Code does not prohibit a judge from accepting honoraria or speaking 
fees provided that the compensation is reasonable and commensurate with the task 
performed. A judge should ensure, however, that no conflicts are created by the 
arrangement. Judges must not appear to trade on the judicial position for personal 
advantage. Nor should a judge spend significant time away from court duties to 
meet speaking or writing commitments for compensation. In addition, the source of 
the payment must not raise any question of undue influence or the judge’s ability 
or willingness to be impartial. 
 
 
Canon 6A(3) requires a judge to report expense reimbursements or 
payments, and fee waivers from sources other than the state or a judicial branch 
entity, when the amount received alone or combined with other reimbursements, 
payments, or waivers received from the same source in the same calendar year 
exceeds $100. Cf. Model Code of Jud. Conduct rs. 3.14(A), 3.15(A)(3) (Am. Bar 
Ass’n 2011) (requiring the reporting of expense reimbursements and fee waivers 
from “sources other than the judge’s employing entity,” when the individual or 
combined amount received from the same source in a calendar year exceeds a 
specified amount). The Canon 6A(3) reporting requirement for expense 
reimbursements and payments, and waivers of fees or charges is similar to the 
reporting requirement for expense reimbursements and waivers in Rule 3.15(A)(3) 
of the American Bar Association Model Code of Judicial Conduct (2011), in that 
reimbursements, payments, and waivers must be reported if the amount of 
reimbursement, payment, or waiver, alone or in the aggregate with other 
reimbursements, payments, or waivers received from the same source in the same 
calendar year, exceeds the specified amount of $100. However, unlike the model 
rule, the amount of a reportable reimbursement, payment, or waiver does not have 
to be reported on Form 6A, but. Unlike gifts, the amount of which must be 
reported on that form, only the dates, location, and purpose of the event or activity 
for which expenses, fees, or charges were reimbursed, paid, or waived must be 
reported.   
 
 
 
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Canons 6B and 6C. Subparagraph A prescribes guidelines for additional 
compensation, reimbursements, or direct payments of expenses, and waivers of 
fees or charges accepted by a judge. 
  
 
Subparagraphs B and C prescribe the three types of financial disclosure 
reports required of each judicial officer. The filing of the disclosure reports 
required under Canon 6B is the only public disclosure of financial interests, 
compensation, gifts, expense reimbursements, or other benefits that a judge is 
required to make under this Code or the Florida Constitution. By filing the required 
disclosure reports, a judge fulfills all the expectations of conduct, and ethical and 
constitutional requirements related to such disclosure. 
 
 
The first disclosure report is the Ethics Commission’s constitutionally 
required form pursuant to Article II, Section 8, of the Constitution. It must be filed 
each year as prescribed by law. The financial reporting period is for the previous 
calendar year. A final disclosure statement generally is required when a judge 
leaves office. The filing of the income tax return is a permissible alternative. 
 
 
The second is a report of gifts, reimbursements or direct payments of 
expenses, and waivers of fees or charges accepted during the preceding calendar 
year to be filed publicly with the Florida Commission on Ethics. The gifts to be 
reported are in accordance with Canons 5D(5)(a) and 5D(5)(h). The expense 
reimbursements and payments, and waivers to be reported are in accordance with 
Canon 6A(3). This reporting is in lieu of that prescribed by statute as stated in the 
Supreme Court's opinion rendered in In re Code of Judicial Conduct, 281 So. 2d 
21 (Fla. 1973). The form for this report is as follows: 
 
Form 6A. Disclosure of Gifts, Expense Reimbursements or Payments, and 
Waivers of Fees and Charges 
 
All judicial officers must file with the Florida Commission on Ethics a list of 
all reportable gifts accepted, and reimbursements or direct payments of expenses, 
and waivers of fees or charges accepted from sources other than the state or a 
judicial branch entity as defined in Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 
2.420(b)(2), during the preceding calendar year as provided in Canons 5D(5)(a) 
and 5D(5)(h), Canon 6A(3), and Canon 6B(2) of the Code of Judicial Conduct, by 
date received, description (including dates, location, and purpose of event or 
activity for which expenses, fees, or charges were reimbursed, paid, or waived), 
source’s name, and amount for gifts only. 
 
 
 
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Name:  
 
 
 
 
Work Telephone:   
 
 
 
Work Address:  
 
 
 
 
Judicial Office Held:  
 
 
 
 
1. Please identify all reportable gifts, bequests, favors, or loans you received during 
the preceding calendar year, as required by Canons 5D(5)(a), 5D(5)(h), and 6B(2) 
of the Code of Judicial Conduct. 
 
DATE 
DESCRIPTION 
SOURCE 
AMOUNT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
□ Check here if continued on separate sheet 
 
2. Please identify all reportable reimbursements or direct payments of expenses, 
and waivers of fees or charges you received during the preceding calendar year, as 
required by Canons 6A(3) and 6B(2) of the Code of Judicial Conduct. 
 
DATE 
DESCRIPTION 
(Include dates, location, and purpose of 
event or activity for which expenses, fees, 
or charges were reimbursed, paid, or 
waived) 
SOURCE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
□ Check here if continued on separate sheet 
 
 
 
 
 
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OATH 
State of Florida 
County of   
 
 
I,  
 
 
 
, the public official filing this disclosure statement, being 
first duly sworn, do depose on oath and say that the facts set forth in the above 
statement are true, correct, and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Signature of Reporting Official) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Signature of Officer Authorized to Administer Oaths) 
 
My Commission expires   
 
 
 
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 
 
 
 
 day of  
 
 
 
, 20 
 
 
 
 
 
COMMENTARY 
 
The third financial disclosure report is prescribed in subparagraph C. This 
provision ensures that there will be complete financial information for all judicial 
officers available with the Judicial Qualifications Commission by requiring that 
full disclosure be filed confidentially with the Judicial Qualifications Commission 
in the event the limited disclosure alternative is selected under the provisions of 
Article II, Section 8. 
 
The amendment to this Canon requires in 6B(2) a separate gift report to be 
filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics on or before July 1 of each year. The 
form to be used for that report is included in the commentary to Canon 6. It should 
be noted that Canon 5, as it presently exists, restricts and prohibits the acceptance 
of certain gifts. This provision is not applicable to other public officials. 
 
With reference to financial disclosure, if the judge chooses the limited 
disclosure alternative available under the provision of Article II, Section 8, of the 
 
 
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Constitution of Florida, without the inclusion of the judge’s Federal Income Tax 
Return, then the judge must file with the Commission a list of the names of 
corporations or other business entities in which the judge has a financial interest 
even though the amount is less than $1,000. This information remains confidential 
until a request is made by a party to a cause before the judge. This latter provision 
continues to ensure that complete financial information for all judicial officers is 
available with the Judicial Qualifications Commission and that parties who are 
concerned about a judge’s possible financial interest have a means of obtaining 
that information as it pertains to a particular cause before the judge. 
 
Canon 6D. [No Change]