Reimbursement of Expenses and Waivers of Fees or Charges

Expense reimbursement should be limited to the actual cost of travel, food and lodging reasonably incurred by the judge and, where appropriate to the occasion, by the judge's spouse or domestic partner or guest. Any payment in excess of such an amount is compensation. 19 Comment: Reimbursement or direct payment of travel expenses may be a gift and, if so, its acceptance is governed by Rule 3.13. A judge or employee may receive as a gift travel expense reimbursement including the cost of transportation, lodging, and meals, for the judge and a guest incident to the judge's attendance at a bar-related function or at an activity devoted to the improvement of the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice.