May 30—ANDERSON — Magistrate Jason Childers will be the presiding judge in Madison Circuit Court Division 5 during the suspension of Scott Norrick.

Norrick was suspended by the Indiana Supreme Court for 45 days following a disciplinary action.

The suspension takes effect on June 3.

Childers will continue as the judge until July 18.

Duties assigned to Childers as magistrate will be covered by Senior Judge Dennis Carroll and other judicial employees.

In a press release it was announced that Judge Angela Warner Sims, the judge in Madison Circuit Court, will serve as the chief judge for the local court system through the remainder of 2024.

Norrick had been serving as chief judge of the court system.

As a result of the changes, there is not expected to be any additional expenses.

The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications filed disciplinary charges against Norrick in February.

The complaint states between Jan. 1, 2021, through March 31, 2023, there were 40 criminal cases with missing entries and orders.

Norrick was elected judge in 2020.

The complaint states that Norrick was informed by the other judges and the Madison County Prosecutor’s office about concerns of delays in inputting case entries and orders in criminal cases.

It states Norrick was made aware that his court reporter at the time was four to five weeks behind on completing case entries.

Another finding by the commission revealed that an order signed electronically by Norrick granted a parent custody of a child without notification to the other parent. This order was made without a required court hearing, the commission said, and did not comply with the requirements of the Indiana Trial Rule of Procedure.

Norrick self-reported that his staff erred in affixing his signature electronically to the modification order, and he vacated the ruling the next day.

Another charge alleges that Norrick failed to process entries and orders for Landmark Accounts cases which he represented while in private practice.

Because the court staff continued to issue numerous court orders and case entries using Scott Norrick’s signature, it left the impression that Norrick didn’t disqualify himself and presided over the cases in which there was a conflict.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.