1996-12: Judge attendance at a political dinner with spouse who is a candidate for Sheriff.

Opinion No. 96-12

July 16, 1996 

TOPIC: Judge attendance at a political dinner with spouse who is a candidate for Sheriff. 

DIGEST: A judge may attend political gatherings and may buy tickets for such gatherings. 

REFERENCES: Illinois Supreme Court Rule 67B of the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 7 (145 Ill.2d R. 67); Illinois Judicial Ethics Opinion No. 94-21. 

FACTS 

The spouse of a judge is running for Sheriff and is having a fund-raising function which the judge is invited to attend. 

QUESTION 

May a judge attend a political function for spouse who is running for Sheriff? 

OPINION 

Since the amendment of Illinois Supreme Court Rule 67, effective August 6, 1993, judges are expressly permitted to attend political gatherings. The relationship of the judge to the candidate is irrelevant to the ethical issue. 

Illinois Supreme Court Rule 67B(1)(a)(i) provides: 

1. A judge or candidate may, except as prohibited by law:

a. at any time

i. purchase tickets for and attend

political gatherings 

Pursuant to this Amended Rule, the judge is permitted to attend the spouse's political dinner. The judge is also permitted by the Rules to buy tickets to the dinner, and may even be introduced. (See IJEC Opinion No. 94-21)