TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION
The Texas Ethics Commission is authorized by Government Code, sec.571.091, to 
issue advisory opinions in regard to the following statutes: the Government 
Code, Chapter 302; the Government Code, Chapter 305; the Government Code, 
Chapter 572; the Election Code, Title 15; the Penal Code, Chapter 36; and the 
Penal Code, Chapter 39.
Requests for copies of the full text of opinions or questions on particular 
submissions should be addressed to the Office of the Texas Ethics Commission, 
P.O. Box 12070, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512) 463-5800.

Advisory Opinion Requests
SP-6
Whether incumbent justices re-elected to the Supreme Court and the Court of 
Criminal Appeals and justices newly elected to those courts in November 1996 may 
accept political contributions during the period beginning on December 15, 1996, 
and ending on March 5, 1997. 

AOR-389 
The Texas Ethics Commission has been asked about the application of the 
contingent fee prohibition in sec.305.022 of the Government Code to a specific 
situation. A judge has ordered the parties to a lawsuit "to explore the 
possibility of resolving the matter through legislative action." The lawyers 
representing the plaintiffs are working on a contingent fee basis. The question 
raised is whether the lawyers representing the plaintiffs may comply with the 
judge's order without violating sec.305.022 of the Government Code.  
The Texas Ethics Commission is authorized by sec.571.091 of the Government Code 
to issue advisory opinions in regard to the following statutes: (1) Chapter 572, 
Government Code; (2) Chapter 302, Government Code; (3) Chapter 305, Government 
Code; (4) Title 15, Election Code; (5) Chapter 36, Penal Code; and (6) Chapter 
39, Penal Code. 
Questions on particular submissions should be addressed to the Texas Ethics 
Commission, P. O. Box 12070, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711-2070, (512) 
463-5800.
Issued in Austin, Texas, on November 18, 1996.
TRD-9616883
Tom Harrison
Executive Director
Texas Ethics Commission
Filed: November 18, 1996