Ethics Opinion Search by Topic

This Index includes:

  • All ethics opinions released from October 2, 1988, through the present
  • Formal ethics opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility
  • Judicial Tenure Commission Advisory Opinions
  • Michigan Supreme Court cases involving lawyer and judicial discipline
  • Essays and articles from the Michigan Bar Journal

Opinions interpreting the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct are denoted "R" for formal opinions and "RI" for informal opinions. Opinions interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct are denoted "J" for formal opinions and "JI" for informal opinions. Formal opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility are denoted "C". Advisory Opinions of the Judicial Tenure Commission are denoted "A/O". Articles published in the Michigan Bar Journal are cited "[volume] MBJ [page] (date)".

Copyright held by State Bar of Michigan, All Rights Reserved

Notice to Lawyers:
State Bar of Michigan ethics opinions are advisory and non-binding in nature. This index is a complete historical catalog. Some of the listed ethics opinions, though not expressly superseded in subsequent ethics opinions, may be nonetheless outmoded or no longer sound due to subsequent changes in case law, statutes, or court rules. Practitioners are urged to thoroughly research all sources to determine the current validity of any given ethics opinion.

Common Citations

The following citation abbreviations are used in this Index.

"A/O" Opinions issued by the Judicial Tenure Commission interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct
"C" Formal ethics opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility
"CI" Informal ethics opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility
"J" Formal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct
"JI" Informal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct
"MBJ" Michigan Bar Journal, monthly publication of the State Bar of Michigan
"R" Formal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct
"RI" Informal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct
"Op" Opinions interpreting the former Canons of Professional Ethics or the former Canons of Judicial Ethics.

Search by Opinion Number or Keywords

Click here to use the "quick find" by opinion number or to search the full text of our ethics opinion collection.

Index

For the researcher's convenience, this list is provided to show the topics used for indexing authorities in this volume.

Bankruptcy

Bias

Boards

Business Interests

Business Representation

Bankruptcy

Adversary proceedings as part of representation

Client fraud or illegal act

Contract ambiguous about scope of representation

False information in court filings

Specialty designation

Bias

AIDS awareness ribbon worn on judicial robes

Bias against party no remittable

Burden to prove bias on party moving to disqualify

  •  Michigan Ass'N of Policy v. City of Pontiac,
  •   177 Mich App 752 (1989),

Campaign opponent appearing before judge

Disqualification motions

  •  75 MBJ 934 (Sep 1996),

Endorsement of pro-union or pro-business interests

Financial interest between presiding judge and advocate

Gender bias not present in judge accepting scholarship to seminar to develop women leaders

Judge as police commissioner

Judge dating advocate

Judge dating party appearing before judge

  •  Matter of Templin,
  •   432 Mich 1220 (1989),

Judge former prosecutor

  •  People v. Hampton,
  •   184 Mich App 434 (1990),

Judge's party opponent appearing as advocate in unrelated matter

Judge's personal lawyer appearing before judge as advocate in unrelated matter

Judge reviewing appeals from lower court handling Judge's personal case

Judge's spouse as assistant prosecutor

Motions for disqualification

  •  75 MBJ 934 (Sep 1996),

Part-time magistrate—practice of law

Part-time magistrate serving as referee

Personal acquaintance insufficient for judicial disqualification

Sentences, Judge's disapproval of mandatory life sentence

  •  People v. HoUSton,
  •   179 Mich App 753 (1989),

Boards

Business Interests

Advancing business interests of others

Court appointments of lawyer/tenants of judge

  •  A/O 40,

Bank director

Book authorship

Closing law practice

Computer program of legal forms

Continuing relationship with Judge's former law firm

Co-ownership of real estate with magistrate and sheriff

Corporate officer services prohibited

Director of business

Disclosure of Judge's financial interest

Disqualification, duty to minimize instances of

Divestiture

Divorce forms for use by nonlawyers

Financial interest with advocate, disqualification

Financial interest with advocate, duty to disclose

Financial interest with lower court judge

Financial interest with witness

Franchise investments by judge

  •  A/O 48,

Golf course board

Host of cable television show

Irrevocable trust to avoid divestiture

  •  A/O 26,

Lawsuit based on business interests

Lawyer purchasing law practice

Liquor licenses

  •  A/O 26,
  •   Matter of Lawrence,
  •   417 Mich 248 (1983),

Part-time judge business participation

Real estate relationship with lawyers

Referrals to hospital of which judge is board member

  •  A/O 59,

Retired judge business participation

Spouse of judge leasing space to lawyer

Track steward

Accepting referral from investment firm

Accepting referral from trust kit salesperson

Alternate dispute resolution services

Business transaction with client

  •  RI-197,
  •   Matter of Temrowski,
  •   409 Mich 262 (1980) Reh Den 409 Mich 1102 (1980),

Consulting arrangement with nonlawyer tax appeals expert

Financial services

Foreclosure of client property to collect fee

Insurance business

Lawyer for school employee union serving as faculty at school

Loan to client to start business

Mortgage on client property to secure fee

Partnership or shareholder with disciplined lawyer

Purchasing client property at foreclosure to collect fee

Referral fee from investment firm

Referring law clients to lawyer's nonlaw business

Referring nonlaw business customers to law firm

Representing customer of own nonlaw business

Rent calculated as percentage of gross income

Reviewing land title issued by own company

Security interest in firm's accounts receivable

Tenants of judge subleasing to lawyer

Tenants of Judge's spouse

Title insurance company owned by lawyer referring clients

Security interest in trust res to secure fees

Trust kit sales

Using door-to-door salespeople as agents

Business Representation

Commission from real estate broker for referring customers

Documenting sale between two clients

Investment fraud, identifying injured persons

Lawyer representing organization has duty to communicate about acts or intentions

Seminar to identify similar claimants