Opinion ID: 853611
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Retrial Before the Duly Elected Judge

Text: Judge Walter P. Chapala has been the duly elected judge of LaPorte Superior Court No. 1 since January 1, 1991. During pretrial proceedings, both Judge Chapala and Senior Judge Donald D. Martin signed orders in Thompson's case. Senior Judge Martin presided over Thompson's first trial, but Judge Chapala presided over the second and third trials. Thompson contends that it was error to change judges in midstream without recusal or a showing of unavailability [of Senior Judge Martin]. Judge Chapala had the authority to hear Thompson's case by virtue of its filing in Superior Court 1, where Judge Chapala presides as the duly elected judge. According to statute, a senior judge exercises the jurisdiction granted to the court served by the senior judge. . . . Ind.Code § 33-4-8-3 (1998). The statute conferred upon Senior Judge Martin the authority to hear the first trial, but the fact that Senior Judge Martin heard the first trial, for reasons unexplained in this record, in no way divests Judge Chapala of the authority to hear a subsequent trial. [6]