Administrative Appointments and Hiring

(A) In making or facilitating administrative appointments and hiring court employees, a judge: (1) shall exercise the power of appointment or election impartially* and on the basis of merit; and (2) shall avoid nepotism, favoritism, and unnecessary appointments. (B) A judge shall refrain from casting a vote for the appointment or reappointment to the office of associate judge of the judge’s spouse, domestic partner, or of any person known by the judge to be within the third degree of relationship to the judge, the judge’s spouse, or domestic partner (or the spouse or domestic partner of such a person). (C) A judge shall not approve compensation of appointees beyond the fair value of services rendered. Comments [1] Unless otherwise defined by law, nepotism is the appointment or hiring of any relative within the third degree of relationship of either the judge or the judge’s spouse or domestic partner, or the spouse or domestic partner of such relative.