Could an Illinois judge personally sign thank-you notes to judicial campaign contributors?

Plain-English summary

A judicial candidate’s campaign committee raised funds at an event, and the judge proposed personally writing and signing acknowledgments to contributors.

The Committee said former Rule 67B(2)’s bar on personal solicitation or acceptance of contributions did not insulate a candidate from contributor identities. It therefore allowed signed thank-you notes.

The opinion cautioned that knowledge of a contribution could matter to recusal if it reasonably called impartiality into question in a later case. It also recognized the judge’s option to leave acknowledgments to the committee.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1997 under the 1993 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct. The Committee’s page says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code.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 sign the notes personally?

A: Yes. The Committee permitted personally signed donor acknowledgments.

Q: Did that permit personal solicitation?

A: No. The opinion kept the separate bar on soliciting or accepting contributions.

Q: Could donor knowledge ever affect a case?

A: Yes. The Committee said it could matter to case-specific disqualification if impartiality was reasonably questioned.

Background and rules framework

The Committee applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 67B(2) and 63C, distinguishing acknowledgments from personal fundraising and noting IJEC Opinion 93-11 on campaign contributions and recusal.

Citations and references

• Illinois Supreme Court Rules 67, 67B(2), and 63C.
• 10 ILCS 5/9-13.
• IJEC Opinion 93-11.

See also

• IL Judicial Ethics Op. 96-1: Campaign checks

Source

• Landing page: Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee Opinion 1995-08