Judiciary
Decide wielded energy ‘like a tyrant’ however is ‘not past redemption,’ state supreme court docket says in removing order
September 17, 2025, 10:49 am CDT
The Indiana Supreme Courtroom has eliminated a decide from workplace and completely banned him from the bench, saying he “wielded his place of energy like a tyrant” as he favored sure litigants whereas degrading others. (Picture from Shutterstock)
The Indiana Supreme Courtroom has eliminated a decide from workplace and completely banned him from the bench, saying he “wielded his place of energy like a tyrant” as he favored sure litigants whereas degrading others.
Decide Matthew J. Elkin of Howard County, Indiana, additionally made injudicious statements to members in problem-solving courts and didn’t recuse himself from issues by which he beforehand represented a celebration, the state supreme court docket stated in its Sept. 11 opinion.
Elkin had been a public defender earlier than he grew to become a decide in January 2023.
Elkin’s misconduct included a tactic that concerned handcuffing a participant and his expressed principle about why home violence victims keep in abusive relationships, the state supreme court docket stated.
Due to Elkin’s misconduct, Howard County’s problem-solving courts had been quickly suspended from accepting new candidates, the state supreme court docket stated. His conduct additionally had an influence on members within the problem-solving courts, which addressed substance abuse points and reentry into the group after incarceration, the state supreme court docket famous.
“A presiding decide’s demeanor has an outsized influence on a participant’s success” in problem-solving courts, the states supreme court docket stated. Elkin “appeared to know this as he wielded his place of energy like a tyrant, making an attempt to intimidate members and workforce members alike. Whereas he supplied the proverbial shirt off of his again to some, he shamed and humiliated others.”
One of many “inappropriate ways” was “sport or jail,” utilized by Elkin whereas presiding within the reentry court docket, the state supreme court docket stated. Howard ordered the handcuffing of 1 participant and informed a second participant accused of rule violations that he needed to inform the reality or the handcuffed particular person can be despatched to jail. Neither participant was in custody.
Howard additionally “demeaned and ridiculed” members in court docket proceedings. In a single occasion, Elkin informed a reentry participant who had been a home violence sufferer why he thinks that such victims keep in relationships.
He started by speaking concerning the form of elation that former skilled soccer quarterback Tom Brady should have felt when successful the Tremendous Bowl. After the win, Brady’s mind “is crammed with all types of neurochemicals,” he stated.
“If I smack the s- – – out of you proper now, what chemical substances get dumped in your mind? The very same chemical substances he experiences when he wins the Tremendous Bowl. Do you know that? So the entire thing is each time I beat you up otherwise you beat me up, we received the Tremendous Bowl. … So if I smack you within the head and you are feeling the very same means so you possibly can benefit from the relationship. That’s what occurs. That’s the reality. That’s why girls don’t depart.
“It will get worse. He experiences it as soon as as a result of he received the Tremendous Bowl. You’ll be able to trigger your self to expertise that emotion not less than two extra occasions after you’ve been hit. One is in the event you really feel responsible about having had your ass kicked, the very same chemical substances dump into your mind. You are feeling actual disgrace over it. Then in the event you get indignant over the truth that this particular person did it to you, it occurs a 3rd time. Right here’s the deal, I can practice a whole lifetime for one shot at successful the Tremendous Bowl and experiencing that elation, or I can have any individual kick my ass and I can do it 3 times. Which is simpler?”
In one other occasion, Elkin remarked on the document of a prison defendant looking for to switch his sentence for a felony drug offense.
“You could have extra convictions than the common baby molester on this nation,” Elkin stated. “You’re the one-third of the 1% of worst folks within the planet.”
However Elkin helped some members in downside fixing courts. One court docket participant obtained “a plethora of advantages” not accessible to different members that included permitting the participant to stay rent-free for a time period at his spouse’s rental property and the acquisition of garments for the participant’s youngsters.
He helped one other participant get hold of the return of a rental deposit and drove the participant’s automobile to his spouse’s rental property for storage. He supplied rides for different members in his private car and used his bank card to hire a automobile for one more participant.
Mitigating components within the ethics case included that Elkin took accountability for his actions, cooperated within the investigation and took courses to handle his demeanor, the Indiana Supreme Courtroom stated. He additionally had no prior self-discipline all through a protracted profession principally devoted to public service.
“These details recommend [Elkin] just isn’t past redemption,” the state supreme court docket stated. “So though a everlasting ban from judicial service is critical right here to guard the integrity of the judicial system, … we concur with the events that he could keep his regulation license.”
Elkin didn’t instantly reply to a message requesting remark left together with his chambers.
Publications with protection of the choice embrace Law360, WKRC and the Indiana Lawyer.
See additionally:
Write a letter to the editor, share a narrative tip or replace, or report an error.
