Ezel / Ethics Opinions / JUDICIAL-IL

Could an Illinois judge participate in a police department ride-along program?

Short answer No. The Committee concluded that riding with an officer would compromise the appearance of judicial impartiality under former Rule 62.
Bar
JUDICIAL-IL
Issued
October 19, 2015

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 2015. 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 Not binding precedent.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

Several judges wanted to participate in a police department program that let public officials and community members accompany officers during a shift. The Committee concluded that a judge's participation violated the former Code's appearance-of-impartiality standard.

It reasoned that the public could view riding with police as alignment with law enforcement, a frequent participant in criminal proceedings. The judge might also become a witness to encounters during the shift or create an impression that officers had special influence over the judge. The program's public education purpose did not change the Committee's conclusion.

Currency note

The Committee’s page states that this opinion interprets the 1993 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, which was superseded on January 1, 2023. It does not assess whether the 2023 Code changes the analysis. Verify the current Code before relying on it.

In practice

The opinion disallowed the described police ride-along because of its appearance of alignment with law enforcement.

Common questions

Q: Did the program’s educational purpose make participation permissible?

A: No. The Committee still found an appearance-of-impartiality problem.

Q: What other concern did the Committee identify?

A: A judge accompanying an officer could witness traffic stops or arrests and later be asked to testify.

Background and rules framework

The Committee applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 62A and 62B on impartiality and judicial prestige, and cited opinions from Delaware, New York and Utah.

Citations and references

  • Illinois Supreme Court Rules 62A and 62B.
  • IJEC Opinion 01-08; Delaware Judicial Ethics Advisory Opinion 1998-4; New York Advisory Opinion 03-45; Utah Advisory Opinion 97-5.

See also

Source

What do the rules say today, for your facts?

This opinion is from 2015. Ezel checks the current rules of professional conduct in your state against your situation and cites the rules it relies on.

Opens in Ezel Pro.

  • Checks the law as it stands today, not only this page
  • Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
  • Chat, drafting and research in one workspace