Which statement is true about court ethics?

• A. A municipal judge may use court letterhead to recruit fraternity members.
• B. A municipal judge or clerk may be a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
• C. Providing a separate room away from the public to handle complaints helps avoid impropriety.
• D. It is acceptable to look up a private citizen's traffic record without justification.

Answer: (C)

Maintaining confidentiality and avoiding appearances of impropriety are essential to court ethics. Providing a separate room away from the public to handle complaints creates a private, controlled environment where sensitive information can be addressed without being overheard or influenced by outside parties. This separation helps ensure that complaints are processed impartially and that the conduct of court personnel remains professional, reducing opportunities for personal biases or external pressures to affect decisions. It reinforces public trust by showing that the judiciary treats complaints seriously and privately, rather than airing them in public or in places that could suggest favoritism or improper influence.

The other statements run counter to ethical principles: using court letterhead for nonofficial recruitment blends official power with personal or organizational aims; membership in a hate group would violate the obligation to treat all people with dignity and to uphold equal protection under the law; looking up a private citizen’s traffic record without a justified need intrudes on privacy and signals improper conduct or surveillance.