Judicial Ethics Policies
The purpose of this web page is to summarize those Judicial Branch policies designed to ensure ethical conduct. While all state employees must comply with the Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees as identified in CGS Chapter 10, Part 1, Branch employees are affected as well by various additional, often more stringent, requirements.

Please contact Joyce Santoro at Joyce.Santoro@jud.ct.gov with any comments and suggestions that you may have so that we can make the information on this page as comprehensive and useful as possible.

1. Statutes and Public Acts

  • C.G.S. sec. 1-79 to 1-90, as amended
  • C.G.S. sec. 3-32
  • C.G.S. sec. 4-32
  • C.G.S. sec. 4-33a
  • C.G.S. sec. 4-61dd
  • C.G.S. sec. 4b-11
  • C.G.S. sec. 51-9
  • C.G.S. sec. 51-57
  • P.A. 04-198, sec.1 (enter 198 in the "Number" field, 2004 in the "Year", and highlight Public Acts, then hit "Search")
  • P.A. 04-245, sec. 2 - 4, 7 - (same as above, but enter 245 in the "Number" field)
   

2. State Regulations

  

3. Practice Book- PDF (Use table of contents on left side of PDF to find specific sections of Practice Book)
  • P.B. sec. 2-34A
  • P.B. sec. 2-66
  • P.B. sec. 3-20


4. Judicial Branch Policies and Procedures


5. State Ethics Commission Opinions (State of Connecticut Ethics Commission website)
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 2004-14 (Amended) (Application of Revolving Door Provision of the Code of Ethics for Public Officials to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management)
    • The opinion sets forth rules related to the revolving door provisions, including restrictions on activities while still a state employee and limitations on post-state employment.
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 2004-10 (Application of the Code’s Charitable Event Gift Exception to the National Political Conventions)
    • The opinion notes various exceptions and limitations to gift policy in connection with attendance at charitable events in one’s official capacity.
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 2004-08 (Application of the Statement of Financial Interest Filing Requirement to Individuals Who Temporarily Occupy a Designated Position)
    • Individuals who temporarily occupy a position where the permanent incumbent is required to file an Annual Statement of Financial Interests also must file an Annual Statement of Financial Interests.
  • ADVISIORY OPINION NO. 2004-05 (Application of Code for Ethics for Public Officials to State Employee Running for Governor)
    • The opinion discusses ethical issues related to a state employee running for political office, including the solicitation of donations by persons over whom the candidate has some authority.
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 2004-03 (Interpretation of Conn. Gen. Stat. sec. 1-79 (e) (2)
    • In determining the meaning of the exception for a gift of services by a person volunteering his/her time, the Commission distinguishes between “true” volunteer services and services donated to a public official. In the latter category would be when a private employer continues to pay an employee who “volunteers” his or her services to the public official. The opinion further notes that acceptance of volunteer services with a fair market value of over $100 violates C.G.S. sec. 1-84 (c) if the services were provided by virtue of the recipient’s public office.
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 2004-02 (Application of Conn. Gen. Stat. sec. 1-84 (m) and Related Gift Provisions of the Code of Ethics for Public Officials)
    • The ban on the receipt of gifts from any person the official or employee knows or has reason to know is doing business or seeking to do business with the department or agency in which the official or employee is employed also extends to a prohibition on receipt of gifts from persons doing or seeking to do business with other departments if the official or employee is contacted with respect to business with the second department or agency.
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 99-10 (Acceptance of Employment as a Neutral Arbitrator by Superior Court Clerk for Housing Matters)
    • In prohibiting a housing clerk from accepting employment as a neutral arbitrator with respect to a commercial least dispute, the Commission noted that acceptance of the position would have impaired the clerk’s independence of judgment and created an inadvertent use of office for private financial gain in violation of C.G.S. sec. 1-84 (b) and (c).
  • ADVISORY OPINION NO. 98-04 (Application of the Code of Ethics for Public Officials to the Use of a State Computer in Furtherance of One’s Outside Employment)
    • A legislator’s use of a state computer to track grades, assignments, etc. of high school students the legislator teaches would violate C.G.S. sec. 1-84 (c)’s prohibition on the use of office or position for private financial gain.