May an Illinois judge serve on a committee supporting a lawyer's candidacy for bar association office?
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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.
Plain-English summary
A lawyer running for bar association office asked a judge to join a committee supporting the candidacy. The Committee concluded that former Rule 62B did not prohibit the judge's service. It reasoned that unpaid bar officers contribute to the quality of the profession and the administration of justice, so support for their candidacy did not advance a private interest.
The Committee also treated the committee role as a permissible law related activity under former Rule 64A. It expressly excluded service for private or non-law-related organizations and raising money for a bar association or its candidate. The Committee said the judge could consider disclosing the support.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in 1993 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 The Committee's archive says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code.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 join the candidate's committee?
A: Yes. The Committee concluded that former Rule 62B did not forbid this bar association role.
Q: Could the judge raise money for the candidate?
A: No. The opinion excluded raising money for a bar association or a candidate for bar office from its approval.
Q: Did the opinion approve similar support for private organizations?
A: No. Its approval did not extend to private or non-law-related organizations.
Background and rules framework
The Committee applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 62B and 64A to the judge's proposed support for a bar association candidate. It distinguished service that advances the legal system from advancing a candidate's private interest.
Citations and references
- Illinois Supreme Court Rules 62B and 64A; the opinion's references also identify Rule 64 and Canons 2 and 4.
See also
Source
- Landing page: Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee Opinion 1993-08
- Complete archived official page: Illinois Judges Association 2019 capture
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