Ezel / Ethics Opinions / JUDICIAL-IL

Could an Illinois judicial candidate remain on a political party central committee or a PAC board?

Short answer No. The Committee treated both positions as offices in political organizations prohibited to judicial candidates by former Rule 67A(1)(a).
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JUDICIAL-IL
Issued
September 9, 1998

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 1998. 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 Not binding precedent.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 judicial candidate served on a major party’s elected county central committee and on the board of a nonprofit that also operated as a registered federal and state political action committee.

The Committee concluded that each position was an office in a political organization under former Rule 67A(1)(a). The former Rule 67B exceptions did not apply to these roles.

The nonprofit’s research and public-education functions did not change the result because it also functioned as a political action committee.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1998 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 The Committee’s page says that Code was superseded on January 1, 2023, and does not assess the effect of the 2023 Code.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 candidate stay on the party committee?

A: No. The Committee treated that elected seat as political-organization office.

Q: Did the nonprofit label permit PAC board service?

A: No. Its PAC function made the board role prohibited.

Q: Did the opinion find a Rule 67B exception?

A: No. The Committee found none applicable.

Background and rules framework

The Committee applied former Illinois Supreme Court Rules 67A(1)(a) and 67B to offices held by a judicial candidate in political organizations.

Citations and references

  • Illinois Supreme Court Rules 67A(1)(a) and 67B.

See also

Source

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