Opinion No. 97-7

May 7, 1997

TOPIC: Judge attending promotional event of family business.

DIGEST: A judge may not assume an active role in the management or serve as an officer, director or employee of a family business. However, the judge may be a stockholder or shareholder and may attend a promotion of the family business so long as the judge is not introduced as a judge and does not wear a tag with judge in the title.

REFERENCES: Illinois Supreme Court Rule 65C(2).

FACTS

A family hardware business with the judge's surname was having a large promotional event for business purposes.

QUESTIONS

1. May a judge be present at a big promotion of the family business which carries the judge's surname?

2. May a judge assume an active role in the management or serve as an officer, director or employee of this business?

OPINIONS

Question 1

A judge may be present at a big promotion of the family business which carries a judge's surname as long as the judge is not introduced as "judge" and does not wear a badge or name tag with the title "judge".

Question 2

Rule 65C(2) sets forth the limitations on a judge regarding this type of conduct:

A judge may hold and manage investments, including real estate, and engage in the activities usually incident to the ownership of such investments, but a judge should not assume an active role in the management or serve as an officer, director or employee of any business.

It should be noted, however, that a judge is not precluded from being a stockholder or shareholder.