Opinion ID: 852383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Commissioner Broyles' issuance of final orders without proper authority.

Text: The Commission's investigation also uncovered the fact that Judge Hawkins was regularly permitting Commissioner Broyles to enter final orders in PCR cases, instead of reporting her findings to him for his own review and entry of the final order. The authority of Commissioner Broyles in the post-conviction matters at issue in this case is governed by Indiana Code § 33-33-49-16(e), which provides: A master commissioner shall report the findings in each of the matters before the master commissioner in writing to the judge or judges of the division to which the master commissioner is assigned or as designated by rules of the court. Except in circumstances inapplicable to this case, a master commissioner may not enter a final appealable order but shall report findings in an evidentiary hearing, a trial, or a jury's verdict to the court. The court shall enter the final order. Ind.Code §§ 33-23-5-8(2) and -9(a). In contrast to post-conviction matters, however, we note that Indiana Code § 33-23-5-9 permits a master commissioner who presides at a criminal trial to enter a final order. [8]