Ezel / Ethics Opinions / JUDICIAL-IL

Could a college include an advisory-board list naming an Illinois judge in the same packet as a fundraising appeal?

Short answer Yes. The Committee allowed the board-member literature in the packet where the judge’s name was not directly used to solicit funds.
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JUDICIAL-IL
Issued
September 21, 1993

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 1993. Ask about yours and see what the current rules of professional conduct in your state say for your facts, with citations.

Disclaimer: Advisory only. Not binding precedent.
About this page: The plain-English summary, reader guidance, and Q&A below were written by Ezel based on the official ethics opinion. The original opinion (linked on this page) is the authoritative source for any reliance.

Plain-English summary

A judge served on a college advisory board. College literature identified board members and was sometimes enclosed with separate fundraising materials.

The Committee said including ordinary board-member literature did not directly involve the judge’s name in soliciting funds. It permitted the described mailing under former Rule 65B.

The opinion distinguished identification of organizational board members from using the judge’s name as a direct fundraising appeal.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1994 under the 1993 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct. The Committee’s archive says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code. Treat this page as historical context and verify the current Code before relying on its analysis.

Common questions

Q: Could the judge’s name appear in the packet?

A: Yes. The Committee permitted ordinary board-member literature accompanying the appeal.

Q: What did the Committee distinguish from this mailing?

A: Direct use of the judge’s name to solicit funds.

Background and rules framework

The opinion applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rule 65B(2) and discussed ABA Model Code commentary on ordinary organizational letterhead used with fundraising materials.

Citations and references

  • Illinois Supreme Court Rules 65B and 65B(2).

See also

Source

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