Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Marion County Traffic Court Judge Suspended For 30 Days Without Pay

In a rare move, the Indiana Supreme Court has entered an order suspending Marion County Superior Court Judge William Young from his position as traffic court judge for a period of thirty days without pay after he reached the agreement in lieu of a full hearing of the disciplinary case against him for his conduct in running the court. You can read the order here. The Indiana Law Blog has more here.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Let me see.

Judge Grant Hawkins gets a 60 day suspension after it is found by investigators that his court allow a defendant who rotted in prison for a long period time (I think it was a year . . . maybe 2 years) after a post conviction. If that wasn't enough, he and his staff went to extraordinary lengths to cover up the fact.

Now, after systematically abusing citizens in his court, Judge Bill Young gets a 30 day suspension.

Can anyone explain why judges are spared penalties in line with their misdeeds?

I think people are losing respect for the courts in this state. This is a extremely dangerous trend. The court are the last branch of government in which citizens still have some faith. Should they lose that faith, there is no way the executive branch can enforce EVERY order handed down by each court in this state on a daily basis. Nor are there enough jails to make people obey court orders should they choose to ignore them. It is only that faith and respect for the courts that motivate people to obey. If people stop obeying the orders handed down by the court due to lack of respect for the court fairness and impartiality, I fear the worst for Indiana and our nation.

Cato said...

That paltry suspension makes a mockery of the legal system. This judicial thug used his bar admission and the public's bench to commit judicial violence on the citizens and legal system.

He violated every rule of jurisprudence and every canon of ethics taught to lawyers.

Every lawyer henceforth has abundant prima facie evidence of judicial bias and can take a change of judge as a matter of right.

He should resign and return to private practice. He has violated the public trust and is a shining example of the punishment-loving, pro-authority sickness that pervades the Republican Party.

He should be disbarred and not allowed relief from the order until he completes a substantial paper on the origins and necessity of the doctrine of "presumed innocent."

It is revolting that an attorney who questions the court's integrity in a single case is suspended for thirty days (IN THE MATTER OF MICHAEL A. WILKINS, CASE NO. 49S00-0005-DI-341), while a judge who proves that the system is, in fact, rigged and denied due process to hundreds of citizens is given the same suspension.

The message is clear: the government gets to do to you what you cannot do to it.

I notice the suspension also coincides with likely vacation plans. This man, I do not say judge, committed numerous violations of civil rights under color of state law, and I hope every one of his railroaded defendants files a Sec. 1983 action against him. In the presence of judicial misconduct, no judicial immunity applies.

Shame on you, Supreme Court. This glancing penalty destroys the credibility of all Indiana courts.

Young must resign.

Paul K. Ogden said...

Gary, I got the impression from the Indiana Law blog that what she included was not the actual opinion from the Supreme Court and that an opinion would be forthcoming.

Marycatherine Barton said...

Let's hope that William won't be a repeat offender.

Citizen Kane said...

Amazing!

Mann Law, P.C. said...

He is suspended for what many judges do each day, but they just do not announce it from the bench. Marion county judges regularly punish defendants for exercising their rights. I know of a Marion county judge whose position is if you do not accept the prosecutor's offer, you will get more from the judge.

randy said...

Isn't the reason for taking a plea to get a softer sentence. If the judge can't give a harsher sentence if you lose at trial, whatis the point in taking a plea. If the state doesn't want the judge to give someone a $500 fine. Then change the law don't be mad at the judge. Or, I have a great idea. Don't break the law.