[1] Educational, civic, religious, fraternal, and charitable organizations often sponsor meetings, seminars, symposia, dinners, awards ceremonies, and similar events. Judicial appointees are encouraged to attend educational programs, as both teachers and participants, in law-related and academic disciplines, in furtherance of their duty to remain competent in the law. Participation in a variety of other extra-official activities is also permitted and encouraged by this Code.

[2] Not infrequently, sponsoring organizations invite certain judicial appointees to attend seminars or other events on a fee-waived or partial fee-waived basis, and sometimes include reimbursement for necessary travel, food, lodging, or other incidental expenses. A judicial appointee's decision whether to accept reimbursement of expenses or a waiver or partial waiver of fees or charges in connection with these or other extra-official activities must be based upon an assessment of all the circumstances. The judicial appointee must undertake a reasonable inquiry to obtain the information necessary to make an informed judgment about whether acceptance would be consistent with the requirements of this Code.

[3] A judicial appointee must assure himself or herself that acceptance of reimbursement or fee waivers would not appear to a reasonable person to undermine the judicial appointee's independence, integrity, or impartiality. The factors that a judicial appointee should consider when deciding whether to accept reimbursement or a fee waiver for attendance at a particular activity include: