FCCA
Foundation
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In 1993 the Federal Court Clerk’s Association was faced with the possibility that it may have been in violation of certain Cannons of Ethics as provided for by the Judicial Conference, in that funds were being solicited or were being donated by certain private vendors for use in defraying the costs of the annual FCCA Conferences. Certain of these vendors were doing substantial business with the courts and with the clerk’s offices. The Committee on Codes of Conduct issued an opinion in July 1994 (Reviewed January 1998) advising that solicitation and acceptance of gifts from these vendors were inappropriate and should be halted. The Board of Directors of the FCCA directed all future hosts of the annual conferences to cease solicitation of funds from vendors who do business with the court and/or the clerk’s offices. The FCCA was steadfast in complying with this Advisory and avoided the appearance of impropriety in planning the annual conferences. The Advisory from the Committee on Codes of Conduct has controlled the conduct of business by the FCCA since. A letter from the Chairman of the Committee did, however, offer some suggestions to the FCCA about how to avoid these improprieties and yet still offer the benefit of new technologies, equipment and, services of vendors to their members. Under the leadership of Rick Weare, the Clerk of Court for the District of Arizona, the FCCA Board of Directors examined the viability of establishing a foundation similar to those at the Federal Judicial Center and at the Judicial Conference. Subsequent meetings of the Board resulted in a vote in favor of establishing such a foundation. The FCCA Foundation was established as an Arizona nonprofit organization in July 1998 and its by-laws promulgated. As a non-profit organization, the FCCA Foundation is required to annually file certain legal documents with the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona. Additionally, the FCCA Foundation is required to file tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. |
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