United States District Court
Northern District Of Illinois
Local Rules
LR83.53.5. Impartiality and Decorum of the Tribunal
(a) Before the trial of a case, a lawyer connected therewith shall not communicate
with or cause another to communicate with anyone the lawyer knows to be a
member of the venire from which the jury will be selected for the trial of the case.
(b) During the trial of a case:
(1) a lawyer connected therewith shall not communicate with or cause another to
communicate with a juror; and
(2) a lawyer who is not connected therewith shall not communicate with or cause
another to communicate with a juror concerning the case.
(c) Notwithstanding sections (a) and (b), a lawyer may communicate with members of
the panel or jury in the course of official proceedings.
(d) After discharge of the jury from further consideration of a case in the United
States District or Bankruptcy Courts of this District with which the lawyer
was connected, the lawyer shall not ask questions of or make comments to a juror
without first obtaining leave of court, nor shall the lawyer thereafter ask
questions of or make comments to a member of the venire that are calculated to
harass or embarrass the juror or to influence such juror’s actions in future jury service.
(e) A lawyer shall not conduct or cause another to conduct, by financial support
or otherwise, a vexatious or harassing investigation of members of the venire or
jury.
(f) All restrictions imposed by this rule also apply to communications with or
investigations of the families of members of the venire or jury.
(g) A lawyer shall reveal promptly to the court the lawyer’s knowledge of improper conduct by a member of the venire or jury or by
another toward such a person or a member of such person’s family.
(h) A lawyer shall not give or lend anything of value to a judge, official, or
employee of a tribunal, except those gifts or loans which a judge or a member of
the judge’s family may receive under the code of judicial conduct to which the judge is
subject. No campaign contribution to a state court judge or candidate for
judicial office may be made other than by means of a check, draft, or other
instrument payable to or to the order of an entity which the lawyer reasonably believes
to be a political committee supporting such judge or candidate. The provision
of volunteer services by a lawyer to a political committee shall not be deemed
to violate this rule.
(i) In an adversary proceeding, a lawyer shall not communicate, or cause another
to communicate, as to the merits of the cause with a judge or an official before
whom the proceeding is pending, except:
(1) in the course of official proceedings in the cause:
(A) in writing if the lawyer promptly delivers a copy of the writing to opposing
counsel or to the adverse party if such party is not represented by a lawyer; or
(B) orally upon adequate notice to opposing counsel or to the adverse party if
such party is not represented by a lawyer; or
(2) as otherwise authorized by law.
Committee Comment. Many forms of improper influence upon a tribunal are proscribed by criminal
law. Various others relate to conduct relating to jurors or prospective jurors.
Still others are specified in the Illinois Code of Judicial Conduct or the Code
of Judicial Conduct for United States Judges, with each of which an advocate
should be familiar. A lawyer is required to avoid contributing to a violation of
such provisions.