Ezel / Ethics Opinions / JUDICIAL-IL

Could an Illinois judge lead an alumni fundraising drive for scholarships honoring another judge?

Short answer No. The Committee applied former Rules 64C and 65B to bar public solicitation despite the scholarship’s judicial and legal-education purpose.
Bar
JUDICIAL-IL
Issued
April 14, 1999

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 1999. 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 Not binding precedent.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 college alumni group asked a judge to lead a scholarship fund drive honoring a distinguished jurist and supporting students interested in law school.

The Committee concluded that former Rules 64C and 65B barred the judge’s public solicitation of funds. It said the fund’s worthy purpose did not change the restriction.

The opinion distinguished permissible assistance to an organization’s fundraising from personally leading or publicly soliciting donations.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1999 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 The Committee’s page says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code.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 lead the scholarship drive?

A: No. The Committee found the proposed public fundraising impermissible.

Q: Did honoring a judge and aiding future law students create an exception?

A: No. The opinion said the purpose did not remove the solicitation bar.

Background and rules framework

The Committee applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 64C and 65B and cited IJEC Opinions 95-22, 96-3, and 99-5 on judicial fundraising.

Citations and references

  • Illinois Supreme Court Rules 64C and 65B.
  • IJEC Opinions 95-22, 96-3, and 99-5.

See also

Source

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