Legal & Judicial Ethics, 2015 Bar — Question XXI

ESSAY

Judge Junior attended the 50th birthday party of his fraternity brother, Atty. Vera. Also present at the party was Atty. Rico who was Atty. Vera's classmate way back in high school and who was handling Civil Case No. 5555 currently pending before Judge Junior's court. Well-aware that Atty. Rico had a case before his sala, Judge Junior still sat next to Atty. Rico at a table, and the two conversed with each other, and ate and drank together throughout the night. Since Atty. Vera was a well-known personality, his birthday party was featured in a magazine. The opposing party to Atty. Rico's client in Civil Case No. 5555, while flipping through the pages of the magazine, came upon the pictures of Judge Junior and Atty. Rico together at the party and used said pictures as bases for instituting an administrative case against Judge Junior. Judge Junior, in his answer, reasoned that he attended Atty. Vera's party in his private capacity, that he had no control over who Atty. Vera invited to the party, and that he and Atty. Rico never discussed Civil Case No. 5555 during the party. Did Judge Junior commit an administrative infraction? Explain.

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