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Tuesday, June 15, 2004

Indiana Courts - Judge Kouros to stay on bench

" State says judge is still untidy, but won't recommend discharging her," is the headline to this story this morning in the Munster Times (the same paper that Sunday was speculating on her successor - scroll down for that story). Some quotes:

CROWN POINT -- A panel of state judges declined Monday to recommend the removal of Lake Criminal Court Judge Joan Kouros, despite new evidence of administrative disarray in her court.

"We look at this as encouraging," said Kouros' lawyer, Stanley Jablonski of Merrillville, after the 48-page opinion was released.

Nevertheless, the Indiana Supreme Court could suspend her for a second time and ultimately remove her from the bench later this year for repeatedly failing to get her work done in a timely manner. The report also indicated the possibility that Kouros has been offered the opportunity to retire as judge.

Here is today's coverage in the Gary Post-Tribune. A quote:

For the time being, Lake Superior Judge Joan Kouros will remain on the bench, after a judicial panel failed to recommend a course of action to the Indiana Supreme Court.

The 48-page report, dated June 10 but filed with the court Monday, makes no recommendation on whether Kouros should be removed or forcibly retired for violating a January 2003 Supreme Court order, designed to end the chronic backlog in her court.

Kouros is still hearing cases, but she could be suspended with pay, even with the Supreme Court ruling pending, if the Indiana Judicial Qualifications Commission takes the position that she should be removed. The commission, which acts as prosecutor in cases of misconduct by judges and attorneys, has 30 days to file its position with the high court, said Meg Babcock, the attorney handling the Kouros case for the commission. “The report itself doesn’t affect her status,” she said.

After the commission files, Kouros will have another 30 days to file her response with the court, before the Supreme Court finishes deliberating on its ruling.

Note: If the 48-page opinion is made available, we will post it here.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on June 15, 2004 07:06 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts