JUDICIAL ETHICS OPINION 2019 v. << (2019)

¶1. FACTS

The judge was asked under Rule 15 of the Rules for the District Courts of Oklahoma by the elected District Attorney to recuse from handling all cases involving the State of Oklahoma because of campaign donations and a final ethics report which was pending /late.

¶2. QUESTION

Can a judge be asked under Rule 15 of the Rules for the District Courts of Oklahoma to recuse from all matters involving the State of Oklahoma?

¶3. ANSWER

Consistent with 2005 Oklahoma Judicial Ethics 2, “We decline to answer as the question is one of law and not of Judicial Ethics and thus outside the purview of the authority vested in this body by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.”

¶4. DISCUSSION

Since the question asked is one of law regarding the application of Rule 15 of the Rules for District Courts of Oklahoma, it is beyond the purview of the authority vested in this body by the Oklahoma Supreme Court

/s/Honorable Edward C. Cunningham, Chairman

/s/Honorable Bill Hetherington

/s/Honorable Tom Landrith

/s/Honorable Allen McCall

/s/Honorable April Sellers White