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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Ind. Courts - More about Judge Julie Cantrell
Mentioned the the entry immediately below, Lake County Judge Julie Cantrell is also the subject of this story by John Byrne today in the Gary Post Tribune. Some quotes:
CROWN POINT — Lake County Judge Julie Can-trell’s court-administered driving school has drawn the attention of state judicial officials.Meg Babcock, attorney for the state Commission on Judicial Qualifications, recently appeared at the Lake County Clerk’s Office traffic division and requested documents related to the program, according to sources.
The legality of Cantrell’s driving school, in which traffic defendants pay to attend classes to avoid having tickets appear on their records, has been called into question in recent months.
Cantrell’s colleague, Lake Superior Court Judge Jesse Villalpando, contended in a wide-ranging critique to state officials that Cantrell has been overcharging defendants in recent years for taking part in the school.
According to Villalpando’s claims, Cantrell has not reported the proceeds of the school to the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and instead funnels the funds to other locations.
Cantrell has denied any wrongdoing.
Babcock’s appearance in Crown Point within the past two weeks is an indication the state Commission on Judicial Qualifications is investigating Villalpando’s claims, according to political observers.
The commission, which has the authority to discipline judges, does not comment on ongoing investigations.
“People recognize me, and if they saw me, and you believe they are credible, then I guess they saw me,” Babcock said. “But whatever reason I may have had to be in Lake County would have been on commission business, and as a policy I do not comment on commission business.”
Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 26, 2006 01:25 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts