CHICAGO — A respected judge on the Cook County Juvenile Court bench is under ethical scrutiny after giving personal gifts to foster children involved in cases before him.
Judge Patrick Murphy, who serves in the Child Protection Division, confirmed in a letter to Chief Judge Timothy Evans that he had provided financial gifts and support to several children and families involved in his courtroom. His gesture — while rooted in compassion — triggered an ethics complaint from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, which argues that the practice may violate judicial neutrality.
Murphy Responds: “I Have Tried to Assist Those Beaten Down”
In a detailed written response obtained by CBS News Chicago, Murphy said he would stop the practice while the Judicial Inquiry Board investigates the complaint. Although he hasn’t seen the full complaint himself, Murphy explained that prosecutors appear concerned it’s unethical to give gifts to some children and not others.
“I have tried to assist those whom I believe to have been beaten down but have the wherewithal, with some assistance, to overcome neglect both by their parents and by the child welfare system,” Murphy wrote.
Murphy highlighted the systemic issues many of his cases stem from, noting that about 95% of the cases he sees involve children affected by “extreme, unrelenting, and desperate poverty.”
Examples of Gifts Cited in Ethics Filing
Murphy listed multiple instances in which he gave money, support, or personal items to children and families:
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$300 to a foster parent struggling to buy Christmas gifts for two foster children
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$100 to a former ward enrolling at Truman College as an incentive to stay on a positive path
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$60–$80 for lunch to a Venezuelan family appearing in court, who were living in squalid conditions
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YMCA membership fees, football cleats, and a used bicycle for a 14-year-old boy after DCFS declined support
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A promised football for a child who agreed to attend summer school — a gift Murphy ultimately didn’t deliver following the complaint
In one case, he recused himself from the youth’s case to help the child and his grandmother find housing after she was evicted from Section 8 residency.
Neutrality vs. Nurturing: Are Child Welfare Cases Different?
A source familiar with juvenile court procedures told CBS that while judges generally must maintain strict neutrality, child protection cases are not adversarial like criminal trials. Instead, the judge’s role is often in the best interest of the child, which complicates the ethical line.
Still, legal experts say that even well-intentioned aid could create perceptions of bias, especially in systems designed to remain impartial.
The Judicial Inquiry Board declined to comment, citing confidentiality rules. Likewise, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said it could not comment on pending ethics matters.
Should Judges Be Allowed to Personally Support Children in Crisis?
Do you think Judge Murphy’s actions reflect compassion or cross an ethical line? Should juvenile judges be held to different standards than criminal courts? Join the conversation below at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
