Theory Of Relativity

The Indiana Supreme Court has suspended an elected judge for 45 days

“The United States legal system is based upon the principle that an independent, impartial, and competent judiciary, composed of men and women of integrity, will interpret and apply the law that governs our society.” Preamble, Ind. Code of Judicial Conduct. Inherent in the judicial conduct rules are the principles that judges “must respect and honor the judicial office as a public trust and strive to maintain and enhance confidence in the legal system.” Id.

Respondent, the Honorable Scott A. Norrick, Judge of the Madison Circuit Court, has fallen far short of these standards. Respondent engaged in judicial misconduct by: (1) failing to supervise his staff in the processing of orders, which resulted in him presiding over civil cases in which he or his son were the attorneys of record; (2) erroneously issuing an ex parte change-of-custody order without giving the opposing party notice or an opportunity to respond; and (3) failing to supervise his staff in the processing of criminal cases, which led to delays in issuing warrants, missing orders and chronological case summary (“CCS”) entries, and involuntarily dismissing sixteen criminal cases.

Respondent’s actions and inactions, which began the day he assumed office, damaged the administration of justice and public trust in the judiciary. They also caused individual harm to dozens of alleged victims, witnesses, and criminal defendants whose cases were dismissed or delayed because Respondent, through his staff, failed to update warrants, set trial dates, and reflect the outcome of hearings. Perhaps most alarming, these omissions were repeatedly brought to Respondent’s attention but he took no action until the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications (“Commission”) began to investigate.

Family ties led to an investigation

In April 2022, the Commission received a complaint that Respondent was presiding over cases in which his son served as counsel and in which Respondent had previously served as counsel. Two months later, Respondent tendered a self-report that acknowledged presiding over the Landmark Accounts cases and admitted the measures he had undertaken to prevent that from happening had resulted in “errors by his court staff.”

From January 20, 2021, to April 13, 2022, Respondent presided over twenty-seven cases in which his son appeared as counsel and Landmark Accounts was a party. He issued sixty-six signature-stamped orders in those cases, including orders granting the withdrawal of his own appearance as Landmark Accounts’ attorney. MyCase listed Respondent as the judicial officer in multiple Landmark Accounts cases, even though a magistrate actually heard those cases. Respondent admits he failed to adequately supervise his staff in handling the Landmark Accounts cases, which led to the public perception that he was presiding over cases in which he had previously been counsel of record or his son was counsel of record.

The investigation revealed the other violations identified above

We are troubled by the extent of this misconduct, particularly given Respondent’s prior discipline on failure-to-supervise issues and his fifteen years of experience as a town court judge. Respondent has agreed to complete additional judicial education and meet with a mentor judge to support him in handling the court’s caseload and supervising court staff. We expect Respondent to take full advantage of these opportunities to improve his court management skills.

Sanction

Respondent, Scott A. Norrick, shall be suspended without pay from the office of Judge of the Madison Circuit Court for forty-five (45) days commencing at 12:01 a.m. on June 3, 2024. 

Not unanimous

All Justices concur except Slaughter, J., who would reject the conditional agreement, believing more severe discipline is warranted.

(Mike Frisch)