Disciplinary charges filed against Judge Jeffrey Harkin of Indiana
July 13, 2011
Indiana: In late June, the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications filed charges against Jeffrey A. Harkin, of the City Court in Hammond. Harkin allegedly "participated in an unlawful fee distribution plan which cut the State of Indiana and Lake County out of their rightful shares of court costs on traffic infractions."[1] He is also accused of making inappropriate remarks to a defendant in his courtroom.
Now that charges have been filed, Harkin has until July 20 to respond. If he chooses not to, a three member panel will conduct a public hearing on the matter. The judge could also bypass the panel and submit a settlement directly to the Indiana Supreme Court, which ultimately has authority over judicial discipline in the state.[1]
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