Ezel / Ethics Opinions / JUDICIAL-IL

Could an Illinois judge serve as president of a nonprofit board whose charity did not seek the judge’s fundraising help?

Short answer Yes, subject to former Rule 65B’s limits. The Committee specifically flagged possible use of the judge’s name on fundraising letterhead for review.
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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 Not binding precedent.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 presided over a nonprofit board serving people with disabilities. The organization agreed to exclude the judge from fund solicitation and fundraising materials, and it was unlikely to appear in court.

The Committee said a judge could serve as an officer or director of an eligible charitable organization under former Rule 65B, subject to that rule’s limits.

It cautioned that the judge’s name might still appear on organizational letterhead and called for examination of whether that letterhead would be used to solicit funds.

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 The Committee’s archive says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code.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 serve as board president?

A: Yes, subject to the former rule’s limitations.

Q: What fundraising issue remained?

A: The Committee flagged possible use of letterhead bearing the judge’s name in fund solicitation.

Background and rules framework

The opinion applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 65B(1) and (2) to charitable board service and fundraising materials.

Citations and references

  • Illinois Supreme Court Rules 65B(1) and 65B(2).

See also

Source

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