Center Township Small Claims Court Resigns In Wake Of Wedding Ceremony Flap

WRTV's Call 6 Investigator Kara Kenney tweeted moments ago that Center Township Small Claims Court Judge Michelle Scott has resigned from the bench. Kenney first broke a story a couple of weeks ago raising questions about whether court staff and resources were being used to refer people applying for marriage licenses in Marion County to a private office down the street from the City-County Building where she and her husband officiated wedding ceremonies for a fee. Kenney's Call 6 investigation found that Judge Scott and her husband far out-distanced all others in Marion Co. performing wedding ceremonies. An undercover camera caught public employees providing business cards for Judge Scott's private office and providing directions to her office.

Kara Kenney‏@KaraKenney6 18m

BREAKING: Judge Michelle Scott resigns following #Call6 stories re: whether she's using public resources to promote her private biz @rtv6

 

After Kenney's report first aired, Circuit Court Judge Louis Rosenberg expressed concerns about the practice. He told Kenney today that he planned to recommend a change in rules governing small claims court judge's conduct to make it clear that judges couldn't use public resources to benefit their private business activities. "I have found that the ethical boundaries on part-time judges publicizing their availability to perform weddings needs to be clarified," Judge Rosenberg told Kenney. "Part-time judges are allowed to do part-time activities, including doing weddings. But on the other hand, you can't trade on the fact that you're a judge." Rosenberg declined to offer his opinion on whether Judge Scott violated any rules of conduct for judges. Judge Scott was defeated for re-election in this past May's Democratic primary. Her term of office would have ended at the end of this year.

UPDATE: Kenney's story is now online. Marion Co. Democratic Chairman Joel Miller tells Kenney that Democratic leaders will likely to choose the party's November candidate for the small claims court, Brenda Roper, to complete the remainder of her term.