Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Center Township Gets New Small Claims Court Judge

Marion Co. Democratic leaders are formally appointing Indianapolis attorney Brenda Roper to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Center Township Small Claims Court Judge Michelle Scott today according to WRTV's Kara Kenney. Scott abruptly resigned last month following Kenney's Call 6 investigation about the use of court resources for a for-profit business run by Scott and her husband officiating wedding ceremonies. Marion Circuit Court Judge Louis Rosenberg questioned the ethics of the practice, although he stopped short of saying Scott violated the rules governing the conduct of judges in Indiana. Judge Rosenberg has proposed a change in the rules to avert the practice in the future. Roper defeated Scott in this year's Democratic primary.

Center Township Democrats turned against Scott after she filed a lawsuit challenging efforts by the Center Township Trustee's Office to relocate the small claims court from its rented space in the City-County Building to vacant space in the township-owned Julia Carson Government Center. The Supreme Court decided in favor of Scott after contentious and costly litigation with the Trustee's Office over the issue. Presumably, Roper won't buck efforts to go forward with relocating the small claims court now that she's in charge of the court. Roper is opposed by a Republican candidate in the November election, but she is expected to easily win the race in the heavily Democratic township.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Township government must be eliminated in Indiana, as the Commission on Local Government Reform suggested.

There is no need for township government, and it is perhaps the most crime infested layer of unnecessary government.