Title: In the Matter of the Hon. Israel Nunez Cruz

State: indiana

Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court

Document:

ATTORNEY FOR HON. COMMISSIONER 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY FOR THE COMMISSION  
ISRAEL NUNEZ CRUZ 
 
 
 
 
 
ON JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS  
 
Bruce Kotzan 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meg W. Babcock 
Indianapolis, Indiana 
 
 
 
 
 
Indianapolis, Indiana 
 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
 
In the 
Indiana Supreme Court  
 
_________________________________ 
 
No. 49S00-0603-JD-80 
 
IN THE MATTER OF THE HONORABLE 
ISRAEL NUNEZ CRUZ, COMMISSIONER 
IN THE MARION SUPERIOR COURT 
 
_________________________________ 
  
JUDICIAL DISCIPLINARY ACTION 
_________________________________ 
 
July 25, 2006 
 
Per Curiam. 
 
This matter comes before the Court as a result of a judicial disciplinary action brought by 
the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications ("Commission") against the Respondent 
herein, Israel Nunez Cruz, Commissioner in the Marion Superior Court.  Article 7 Section 4 of 
the Indiana Constitution and Indiana Admission and Discipline Rule 25 give the Indiana 
Supreme Court original jurisdiction over this matter. 
Subsequent to the filing of formal charges by the Commission, the parties jointly 
tendered a “Statement of Circumstances and Conditional Agreement for Discipline.”  The parties 
have stipulated to the following facts. 
On June 26, 2005, at approximately 1:25 a.m. in Hendricks County, Indiana, the 
Respondent was arrested incident to a traffic stop after field sobriety tests and breath testing 
 
indicated an alcohol concentration equivalent to 0.08 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.  
Based on the affidavit of the arresting officer, which the parties agree gave the State of Indiana 
probable cause to file charges, the State charged the Respondent with, among other things, 
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated in a manner endangering another, a Class A 
misdemeanor, Ind. Code § 9-30-5-2(b); and Operating a Vehicle with an alcohol concentration of 
at least 0.08 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath, a Class C misdemeanor, Ind. Code § 9-30-
5-2(a).  On November 21, 2005, on the State’s motion, the Hendricks Superior Court dismissed 
all counts prior to any adjudication of guilt or innocence. 
The Respondent and the Commission have agreed that by driving with a blood alcohol 
concentration equivalent to 0.08 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath, the Respondent failed 
to uphold the integrity of the judiciary and to maintain high standards of conduct, thereby 
violating Canon 1 of the Code of Judicial Conduct.  The Court agrees with the parties. 
The parties have further agreed, as does the Court, that the appropriate sanction for this 
misconduct is a public reprimand.  Accordingly, Israel Nunez Cruz, Commissioner in the Marion 
Superior Court, is hereby reprimanded.  This discipline terminates the disciplinary proceedings 
relating to the circumstances giving rise to this cause.  The costs of this proceeding are assessed 
against the Respondent. 
 
SHEPARD, C.J., and DICKSON, SULLIVAN, BOEHM, and RUCKER, J.J., concur. 
 
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