Find ethics case studies on government ethics topics including open meetings, campaigns, bribes, civility, and conflicts of interest. (For permission to reprint articles, submit requests to ethics@scu.edu.)
Cases can also be viewed by the following categories:
All Cases
A Mayor’s Announcement about ICE Raids and the Practice of Ethical Leadership
A Leadership Ethics Case Study
The Case of the Term Limited Governor
What are appropriate uses of state resources?
Coordinating
The proper relationship between a campaign and an independent expenditure committee
A campaign manager signals the candidate's wishlist.
Friendship and Government Contracts
Conflicts of interest in campaigns
A candidate's friend becomes a bidder on a government contract
Campaign Questionnaires
Pledges and endorsements
When candidates fills out a questionnaire for an interest group, do they pre-commit themselves to positions before they have had a chance to hear all sides of a legislative issue?
Using a Public Resource
Access for candidates to government-created email lists
Can a campaign use government databases?
Campaign Shenanigans
When volunteers behave unethically
Student volunteers remove an opponent's yard signs.
Seal of Approval
A case in campaign ethics
A candidate poses with the seal of the office she hopes to hold
Mudslinging or Relevant Information
When is a candidate's personal life fair game?
A candidate must decide whether to use information about his opponent's marriage.