Judicial disqualification and friendships with attorneys

The committee defined "acquaintance" as when the interactions and contacts between a judge and an attorney outside court, even if regular or periodic, result from "happenstance or some coincidental circumstance," for example, at bar association meetings, sporting or school events involving their children, or religious services. [...]the committee advised that a judge is not required to disqualify or disclose when a member of his golf club appears bef ore him as an attorney when they do not socialize other than to attend the same golf competitions or bar association functions less than 10 times a year.\n" The committee stated that, when a judge knows that she has a social media connection with a party, a witness, or a lawyer in a case, the judge "should conduct the same analysis that must be made whenever matters before the court involve persons the judge knows or has a connection with professionally or personally."