Opinion ID: 853026
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Denial of Sharon's Motion for Change of Judge

Text: Sharon asserts the trial court erred in denying her motion for change of judge. Sharon's motion noted that Judge Matsey presided in her first trial and that he: (1) heard all of the evidence offered in this case before; (2) denied a motion for directed verdict finding that there was sufficient evidence to support a finding of guilty; (3) denied a motion for judgment on the evidence finding there was sufficient evidence to permit a reasonable jury to convict; (4) sentenced Sharon to a term of fifty-five years on these charges; (5) held Sharon in contempt for failure to answer questions about James Lloyd's involvement in the murder. She also cites this Court's reversal of her conviction. Either party may move for a change of judge when a conviction is reversed on appeal and a new trial ordered. See Ind.Code Ann. § 34-35-4-2(b) (West 1998). The standard under which the motions are granted or denied is contained in Ind.Crim. Rule 12(B): The request shall be granted if the historical facts recited in the affidavit support a rational inference of bias or prejudice. Sharon contends that the facts enumerated in her affidavit support a rational inference of prejudice since Judge Matsey had already made conclusions on the merits of Sharon's case. Sharon further contends that bias and prejudice are established anytime a trial judge has been reversed and the case remanded for new trial; she says a change of judge should thus be granted automatically upon the timely filing of a motion. (Appellant's Br. at 19.) A motion for change of judge, however, is neither automatic nor discretionary. Sturgeon v. State, 719 N.E.2d 1173, 1181 (Ind.1999). In considering a motion for change of judge, the trial judge is required to examine the affidavit, treat the facts recited in the affidavit as true, and determine whether the facts support a rational inference of bias or prejudice. Id. (citing State ex rel. Whitehead v. Madison County Circuit Court, 626 N.E.2d 802, 803 (Ind.1993)). Sharon contends the trial judge was prejudiced against her primarily based on the judge's prior rulings against her in the first case before him. However, prejudice is not derived from judicial rulings. Generally, a trial judge's exposure to evidence through judicial sources is, alone, insufficient to establish bias. Sturgeon, 719 N.E.2d at 1181 (citing Paradis v. Arave, 20 F.3d 950, 958 (9th Cir.1994), cert. denied, 513 U.S. 1117, 115 S.Ct. 915, 130 L.Ed.2d 796 (1995)). Moreover, the fact that a defendant has appeared before a certain judge in prior cases does not establish the existence of bias or prejudice. Lasley v. State, 510 N.E.2d 1340, 1341 (Ind.1987) (citing Brim v. State, 471 N.E.2d 672, 674 (Ind.1984)); Clemons v. State, 424 N.E.2d 113, 117 (Ind.1981). A showing of prejudice that calls for a change of judge must be established from personal, individual attacks on a defendant's character, or otherwise. A defendant cannot merely assert prejudice on the grounds that the judge has ruled against her in a prior proceeding. The ruling on a motion for change of judge is reviewed under the clearly erroneous standard. Sturgeon, 719 N.E.2d at 1182. The law presumes that a judge is unbiased and unprejudiced. Lasley, 510 N.E.2d at 1341. Garland has not overcome that presumption.