The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct today announced the 2018 schedule of seminars for judicial candidates.  The 2018 schedule includes three live seminars and three video replays.

The Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct requires all judicial candidates, including incumbent judges, to attend and complete a two-hour seminar on judicial campaign practices.  A judicial candidate is required to complete the two-hour training requirement at least one year prior to, or 60 days after, his or her candidacy is certified by the election authority.

The judicial campaign seminars include instruction on ethics rules applicable to judicial campaign conduct, including participation in campaign activities, the content of judicial campaign advertisements, and campaign fundraising activities.  The seminar also addresses state law requirements on disclaimers and campaign finance reporting.

The seminars are a collaboration among the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, the Ohio Judicial College, and the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

Judicial candidates are encouraged to bring their campaign treasurer and volunteers to the seminar.  The seminars are offered at no cost to attendees, and no preregistration is required.  Judges and attorneys attending the seminar receive two hours of continuing legal education credit.

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct maintains an online judicial candidate information page.  This page contains rules applicable to judicial campaign conduct, a table setting forth the limits on judicial campaign contributions, and summaries of advisory opinions and court decisions relevant to judicial campaigns.