Opinion ID: 1344706
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: recusal of judge brian

Text: The fifth issue is whether Judge Brian committed reversible error by presiding over Rudolph's third trial after granting his motion to recuse at the end of the second trial. Rudolph asserts that once a judge has recused himself from a case, he cannot take any further non-ministerial action in that case. However, the record shows that Rudolph expressly waived his right to appeal this issue. Neither party objected when Judge Brian continued to preside over several pretrial hearings that occurred after the judge had announced that he was recusing himself from the case. It was not until approximately five days before the date on which Rudolph's third trial was set to begin that he filed a pro se motion asking Judge Brian to disqualify himself pursuant to the grant of the earlier motion to recuse. On the day of Rudolph's third trial, Judge Brian stated that he was inclined to refer Rudolph's pro se motion to the presiding judge for consideration. At that time, both Rudolph and his counsel stated that they did not want to delay the trial any further and expressly withdrew the motion. Judge Brian made the record very clear by repeatedly asking Rudolph if he wanted him to continue to preside over the case. Each time, Rudolph stated that he wanted the trial to proceed that day with Judge Brian presiding. Based on Rudolph's express statements to the court, he cannot now complain that Judge Brian committed reversible error by presiding over the third trial.