Supreme Court Rules Committee sets February 2 public hearing on proposed new Code of Judicial Conduct

The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hold a special public hearing (via Zoom) on February 2, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. to hear testimony on a proposal from the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee (IJEC) for the adoption of a new Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct.

The 54-page proposed new Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct, Proposal 21-08, is based on the American Bar Association’s 2007 Model Code of Judicial Conduct and seeks to advance the IJEC’s mission of promoting the highest standards of ethical conduct by judges in Illinois. Thirty-seven states have previously adopted new Codes of Judicial Conduct based on the 2007 Model Code.

Members of the public will be able to view the livestreaming hearing online via the Court’s YouTube page. Additional information will be provided on the Rules Committee Public Hearing page of the Supreme Court’s website.

The Supreme Court Rules Committee is inviting public comments on the proposals. Written comments should be submitted by January 26, 2022, to RulesCommittee@illinoiscourts.gov or via mail addressed to Committee Secretary, Supreme Court Rules Committee, 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60601. All written comments submitted will also be published and accessible on the Supreme Court's website.

To be scheduled to testify at the public hearing, please register by sending an e-mail to the Rules Committee Secretary, as noted above, no later than January 26, 2022.

The IJEC is a joint committee of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the Illinois Judges Association, and its chair is Steven F. Pflaum of Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. Justice Rita B. Garman serves as Supreme Court liaison to the Rules Committee and James A. Hansen of Schmiedeskamp Robertson Neu & Mitchell, LLP, is chair of the committee.