Texas Government Code
§ 33.051 — SOLICITATION OR ACCEPTANCE OF REFERRAL FEES OR GIFTS BY JUDGE; CRIMINAL PENALTY
GV § 33.051Title 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH · Part B. JUDGES · Ch. 33. STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT · Art. C. JUDICIAL CONDUCT
Statute text
View on source(a)A judge commits an offense if the judge solicits or accepts a gift or a referral fee in exchange for referring any kind of legal business to an attorney or law firm. This subsection does not prohibit a judge from:
(1)soliciting funds for appropriate campaign or officeholder expenses as permitted by Canon 4D, Code of Judicial Conduct, and state law; or
(2)accepting a gift in accordance with the provisions of Canon 4D, Code of Judicial Conduct.
(b)It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under Subsection (a) that:
(1)the judge solicited the gift or referral fee before taking the oath of office but accepted the gift or fee after taking the oath of office; or
(2)the judge solicited or accepted the gift or referral fee after taking the oath of office in exchange for referring to an attorney or law firm legal business that the judge was engaged in but was unable to complete before taking the oath of office.
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Legislative history
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 850, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.