The Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics responds to written inquiries from New York state's approximately 3,600 judges and justices, as well as hundreds of judicial hearing officers, support magistrates, court attorney-referees, and judicial candidates (both judges and non-judges seeking election to judicial office). The committee interprets the Rules Governing Judicial Conduct (22 NYCRR Part 100) and, to the extent applicable, the Code of Judicial Conduct. The committee consists of 27 current and retired judges, and is co-chaired by the Honorable Margaret Walsh, a retired justice of the supreme court in Albany County, and the Honorable Lillian Wan, an associate justice of the appellate division, second department.

Facts/Issue: A judge asks if it is ethically permissible to serve on the board of a not-for-profit organization that maintains a local park and provides educational and cultural programming for the community.  The organization has no apparent involvement in litigation or controversial activities.  Board members do not participate in soliciting funds, but "are encouraged to purchase tickets" to the organization's fund-raising events.