Opinion ID: 2040895
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ruling by Successor Judge

Text: Judge Charles C. Daugherty presided over Roberts' trial in November 1984 and sentenced him in December. At the close of 1984, Judge Daugherty retired from the bench. Roberts' motion to correct errors was filed in January 1985 and denied by Judge John R. Barney, Daugherty's successor. Roberts asserts that he had a right to a ruling by Judge Daugherty. The judge who presided at trial is required to rule on the motion to correct errors if he is available. The determination of availability is to be made by the judge then presiding in the court. Ind.Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 9. Appellant correctly argues that Judge Daughterty's retirement does not make him automatically unavailable under the rule. State v. Smith (1973), 260 Ind. 555, 297 N.E.2d 809. However, a retired judge may be unavailable by virtue of death, sickness, absence, or unwillingness to act. Cf. Ind.Rules of Trial Procedure, Rule 63(A). In this case, Judge Barney expressly determined that his predecessor was unavailable. He was certainly in the best position to make such a finding and his determination is cloaked with a presumption of regularity. Roberts has not undertaken to show otherwise and thus fails to sustain his claim for reversal. Tener v. Tener (1980), Ind. App., 407 N.E.2d 1198; Richardson v. State (1983), Ind., 447 N.E.2d 574.