Reforms

Abolish $150 Gifts (Gratuities) for Judges
[This is a digest of the chapter in the book]
Judges and members of the judge's immediate family will not be allowed to accept any gratuity from anyone except a member of the judge's immediate family. The intent is to abolish the current rule that allows a judge to accept an unlimited number of gratuities of up to $150 in amount. Such free gifts may have the effect of influencing decisions. They create a perception of impropriety that degrades the public's perception of judge integrity.

A gratuity is a free gift that has a value of more than $1. "Immediate family" means a spouse, child, or parent. Judges, lawyers and law firms will file a report each year with the Judicial Standards Board concerning gratuities. In these reports, each judge shall list each gratuity he/she received from a person who is not a member of the judge's immediate family, and the name and address of the donor.

Each lawyer and law firm shall file a report with the Judicial Standards Board in which it lists any gratuity the lawyer or his firm, or any employee of his firm, gave directly or indirectly to a judge, the name of the judge to whom it was given, and the amount or value. In the case of a gift from an organization such as a bar association, corporation or other person, such as a fee for a speech or award, etc., the donor will also be required to report the name and address of each source of the funds used to pay for the gift.

Other Reforms?
Other reforms that can improve our court and legal system are proposed and discussed in our website: www.mncourtreform.org/. Please let us know what you think of these additional reforms and what reforms you think would help. Write to us at: dalenathan@usfamily.net.

Select another reform to read about:

• Make Judges, Court and Police Officers and Lawyers Accountable
• Get Politics out of Judge Selection
• Make Justice Efficient, Affordable, and Reasonable
• Smile, Judge, You're on Candid Camera
• Replace Incumbent Judges