The judicial misconduct charges recently filed against two Marion County Superior Court judges – including one who is on the November ballot for retention – came after years of issues and concerns with caseload management and staff supervision, raising questions about the unhurried pace of such disciplinary investigations.
Charges were filed on Sept. 14 against Judge Geoffrey Gaither, who is running for retention, and Judge Jose Salinas by the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications. The Qualifications Commission alleges the jurists each violated several rules of the Indiana Code of Judicial Conduct, including failing to perform their “judicial and administrative duties competently, diligently and promptly.”
Gaither, who presides over family and juvenile cases, has been charged with three counts of judicial misconduct. The commission alleges he did not set hearings or issue rulings in a timely manner, which led to several “lazy judge” motions being filed against him and some of his cases having to be reassigned to other judges. Gaither also faces accusations of inadequately supervising his court staff, which resulted in numerous administrative errors and delays, and neglecting to properly supervise a magistrate judge, who failed to promptly issue orders…