Ezel / Ethics Opinions / JUDICIAL-IL

Could an Illinois judge’s spouse host a political reception at their home, and could the judge attend?

Short answer Yes. The Committee allowed the spouse to host and the judge to attend, while barring the judge from sponsoring the event or lending the judge’s name or office to it.
Bar
JUDICIAL-IL
Issued
July 25, 2001

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 2001. 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 Not binding precedent.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’s spouse was asked to host a reception for a political candidate in the couple’s home. The judge also wished to attend.

The Committee said the spouse could host the event: judicial political restrictions did not remove a spouse’s ability to use the shared home for independent political expression. It also found that the judge’s mere attendance did not amount to a public endorsement under former Rule 67.

The judge could not act as sponsor or lend the judge’s name or office to the reception and had to consider former Rule 62’s appearance-of-impropriety requirement.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 2001 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 The Committee’s page says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code.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 spouse use the couple’s home?

A: Yes. The Committee permitted hosting in the joint home.

Q: Could the judge attend?

A: Yes. Mere attendance was not treated as public endorsement.

Q: Could the judge sponsor the reception?

A: No. The opinion expressly barred that role.

Background and rules framework

The Committee applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 62, 67A(1)(b), and 67B(1)(a)(i), citing IJEC Opinions 94-21 and 96-12 on political gatherings.

Citations and references

  • Illinois Supreme Court Rules 62, 67A(1)(b), and 67B(1)(a)(i).
  • IJEC Opinions 94-21 and 96-12.

See also

Source

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