No Wasted Resources

The Indiana Supreme Court has accepted a conditional agreement resolving charges against an elected judge who employed his spouse as the city court clerk. The judge was charged with five felony theft counts "stemming from allegations that Respondent exerted unauthorized control over infraction ticket payments, payments to resolve failures to appear and to restore drivers' licenses, and funds held in the...Court's bank account." He was suspended by the court the day after charges were filed and remains suspended.

The court found that "further prosecution of this matter is unnecessary." As the most severe sanction would likely be removal from office and a ban on future judical service, the charges were dismissed without prejudice if he fails to follow the terms of agreement that include the immediate tender of a letter of resignation to the Governor: "Because Respondent has agreed to such terms, continuation of this proceeding would be a waste of limited judicial resources." (MIke Frisch)