Financial Activities

(A) A judge may hold and manage investments of the judge and members of the judge’s family. (B) A judge shall not serve as an officer, director, manager, general partner, advisor, or employee of any business entity except that a judge may manage and participate in: (1) A business closely held by the judge or members of the judge’s family; or 26 (2) A business entity primarily engaged in investment of the financial resources of the judge or members of the judge’s family. (C) A judge shall not engage in financial activities permitted under sections A and B of this Rule if they will: (1) Interfere with the proper performance of judicial duties; (2) Lead to frequent disqualification of the judge; (3) Involve the judge in frequent transactions or continuing business relationships with lawyers of other persons likely to come before the court on which the judge serves; or (4) Result in a violation of another provision of this Code. (D) Subject to any fiduciary obligations, a judge shall manage the judge’s investments and other financial interests held or managed by the judge in a manner that will minimize the number of cases in which the judge is disqualified. If the judge can do so without serious financial detriment or violation of any fiduciary obligations, the judge shall divest himself or herself of investments and other financial interests held or managed by the judge that might require frequent disqualification. (E) A judge, after leaving practice and becoming a judge, may continue to receive fees and payments entirely earned while engaged in the practice of law before becoming a judge, including fees for services rendered, payments from structured settlements and judgments to be paid over time, deferred compensation plans, retirement plans, payments to the judge for sale of his or her practice, payments to the judge for his or her equity upon leaving a firm, and any other fees or payments entirely earned while engaged in the practice of law before becoming a judge.