Ethics Opinions

Since 1992, the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee (IJEC) has provided confidential ethics advice to judges and judicial candidates. They have issued more than 175 formal advisory opinions that are accessible on the IJA website, Lexis, or Westlaw.

The IJEC opinions that were published before 2024 interpret the 1993 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, which was superseded on January 1, 2023, by the 2023 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct. The pre-2024 opinions do not consider or address whether the 2023 Code affects the analysis or conclusion. A table cross-referencing the 1993 Code to the 2023 Code can be found at IJEC Correlation Table.

Comprised of representatives from the Illinois Judges Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Illinois State Bar Association, IJEC responds quickly to inquiries about ethical questions arising from judges’ professional duties or personal lives, always keeping the judge’s identity confidential. In addition to offering oral and written advisory opinions, IJEC reviews and recommends amendments to the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, with its published opinions serving as thoughtful, nonbinding guidance for the judiciary. For assistance, contact IJEC at (312) 431-1283 or info@ija.org.

2024-1: Contributions by a Judge to the Campaign Committee of a State’s Attorney Candidate

2021-4: Judge’s Use of Photographs with Colleagues for Campaign Purposes

2021-3: Whether a judicial candidate may respond to questionnaires seeking the candidate’s views on controversial moral, legal or political issues?

2021-2: A judge’s participation in a political party’s fundraising event as a guest of honor

2021-1: Judge’s duty to recuse following unsolicited ex parte communication

2019-1: A judge’s participation in civic or political activity like the March for Science.

2018-01: Judge who is not a candidate for elective judicial office serving on political organization’s candidate slating advisory committee

2016-03 – Judge serving on a Law Section Council of a statewide bar association.

2016-02: Judge’s sua sponte access, via computer, of the court’s own records in other cases as part of sentencing.

2016-01: Judge privately recommending lawyers to family members and close friends.

2015-01: Participation in a law enforcement agency’s “ride-along” program.

2013-02: Judge presiding over criminal cases where the judge, within the last three years, was engaged in the private practice of law with someone currently employed as a part-time Assistant State’s Attorney.

2013-01: Participation of judge’s spouse in fundraising for a school.

2012-02: Propriety of judge standing for retention endorsing a candidate for judicial or other elective office in the primary election immediately preceding the general election.

2012-01: Disqualification of judge from cases transferred to a lawyer as a part of the sale of the judge’s father’s law practice.

2011-01: The eligibility of a judge for appointment to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

2010-02: Disqualification of judge from, and application of Rule of Necessity to, cases involving State‟s Attorney or other counsel who had referred client to, and divided fee for legal services with, the judge when the parties to the referral were in pri

2010-01: Judge serving as a speaker or guest of honor at a non-law-related charitable fund-raising event.

2009-01: Judge’s ability to participate in video used by religious school to recruit students.

2008-01: Judge providing training for prosecuting attorneys.

Committee Members

Steven F. Pflaum
Chair, Chicago

Hon. Raymond McKoski (ret.)
Vice-Chair, Waukegan

Hon. Eugene G. Doherty, Rockford

Hon. Thomas More Donnelly, Chicago

Kathryne Hayes, Chicago

Kevin Hopkins, Chicago

Hon. Michael B. Hyman, Chicago

Mia Jiganti, Chicago

Hon. Ann B. Jorgensen, Wheaton

Hon. Mary Cay Marubio, Chicago

Charles Northrup, Springfield

April A. Otterberg, Chicago

Dennis A. Rendleman, Chicago

Trisha M. Rich, Chicago

Mary Robinson, Chicago

Hon. Stacey Seneczko, Waukegan

Hon. April G. Troemper, Carlinville

Hon. Carl Walker, Chicago

Need Ethics Advice?

IJA members have access to contact information for this committee and can also contact the IJA with questions or requests for written opinions.

Code of Judicial Conduct

The IJEC opinions that were published before 2024 interpret the 1993 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, which was superseded on January 1, 2023, by the 2023 Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct. The pre-2024 opinions do not consider or address whether the 2023 Code affects the analysis or conclusion. A table cross-referencing the 1993 Code to the 2023 Code can be found at IJEC Correlation Table.

Election FAQs

To guide judicial candidates seeking election in Illinois, the IJEC has prepared a helpful list of Frequently Asked Questions and responses.