Opinion ID: 852383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Delay in entering orders in other post-conviction-relief cases.

Text: In addition to issues related to the delayed ruling in the Buntin case, the Commission's investigation uncovered delayed rulings in several other PCR cases in Court 5 over which Commissioner Broyles presided:  Edwards v. State, Cause No. 49G05-9604-PC-061303, thirteen-month delay.  Bewley v. State, Cause No. 49G05-9804-PC-064052, thirteen-month delay.  Johnson v. State, Cause No. 49G05-0302-PC-021874, six-month delay.  Bailey v. State, Cause Nos. 49G05-0212-PC-311072, 49G05-0212-PC-306918, 49G05-0301-PC-003842, thirteen-month delay.  Dunlap v. State, Cause No. 49G05-9801-PC-012097, fifteen-month delay. The evidence shows this file was lost for a time.  Brown v. State, Cause No. 49G02-9510-PC-149022, twenty-eight-month delay. In a separate notice, Judge Hawkins and Commissioner Broyles stated that an order was signed on February 17, 2005, but not processed until March 21, 2007, because the case had been mistakenly closed and archived before the order was processed.  Stephens v. State, Cause No. 49G05-9805-PC-076033, nine-month delay. A note in the file by Commissioner Broyles states: [S]how file lost causing delay in ruling. She issued the ruling without the file ever having been found.