VALPARAISO, Ind. — The state commission that polices Indiana judges has filed formal misconduct charges against Porter Superior Court Judge Christopher A. Buckley, two months after he pleaded guilty to drunken driving.
The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications filed the charges Friday with the Indiana Supreme Court, the court said in a news release. The case number is 26S-JD-373.
Count 1 says Buckley broke judicial conduct rules by being arrested for and convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Count 2 says he referred to his job as a judge to try to get leniency from officers during the investigation.
Key facts
| Who | Christopher A. Buckley, judge of Porter Superior Court 4 since Jan. 1, 2021 |
| Filed by | Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications, Oct. 16 |
| Counts | Two: criminal conduct (Rules 1.1, 1.2) and abuse of the prestige of office (Rule 1.3) |
| Underlying case | OWI arrest Aug. 15 in Michigan City; guilty plea Aug. 17 |
| Bench status | Not hearing cases; Senior Judge Michael N. Pagano appointed Oct. 14 |
| Next step | Optional answer within 20 days; Supreme Court has final say |
The arrest
According to the statement of charges, a Michigan City police captain working off-duty security at the "Live at the Lakefront" concert saw Buckley drive and park a black Lincoln Navigator in a closed area about 9:05 p.m. Aug. 15.
When the officer asked if he could help, Buckley said, "Can't you read?" and pointed to a decal on the vehicle reading "KEEP BUCKLEY JUDGE," the filing says. The officer reported Buckley stumbled, had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol.
The commission says Buckley could not complete field sobriety tests and refused breath tests. He told officers he could not finish the walk-and-turn and one-leg-stand tests because he has balance issues and is a disabled veteran, according to the filing. The captain reminded him that before the tests, Buckley had said he had no leg, knee or hip problems.
After police got a search warrant, a blood draw showed a 0.221% blood alcohol level, the filing says. That is nearly three times Indiana's 0.08% legal limit.
During the stop and processing, Buckley said, "I'm a Judge; you've just ruined my career," mentioned that the judge who signed the warrant was his friend, and noted the Fraternal Order of Police had endorsed his campaign, according to the commission.
Buckley was charged in LaPorte Superior Court with three OWI counts. On Aug. 17 he pleaded guilty to OWI, a Class C misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, with 58 suspended, and 180 days of probation. The two Class A misdemeanor counts were dismissed.
Beer in chambers
During its investigation, the commission says it confirmed Buckley kept a case of beer in his chambers, under the coat rack where he hung his robe. Court staff also told the commission he arrived at work "reeking" of alcohol on May 6, according to the filing.
Earlier history
The filing says Buckley was convicted of OWI in 2009 in Hobart City Court while he was in law school. In 2021, the commission publicly admonished him over bond revocations as Lowell Town Court judge.
In 2024, a marital dispute led to a report to Valparaiso police. A special prosecutor declined to file charges, the filing says. Buckley then entered a deferred agreement with the commission that required counseling and monitoring. The commission rescinded it after the August arrest.
What comes next
The Supreme Court can dismiss the charges, accept or reject an agreement, order a public hearing, or impose sanctions from a reprimand to a permanent ban from judicial office, the court said. The commission asks for a public hearing before three masters.
Buckley is representing himself. He did not immediately respond to The Indiana Lawyer's request for comment Friday. The Times of Northwest Indiana describes him as a current Republican candidate.
Photo credit
- Lead photo: Downtown Valparaiso from the courthouse square. Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized; shared under the same license.
- LaPorte County Superior Court, Michigan City. hakkun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized; shared under the same license.
- Michigan City pier camera view. NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Cropped to remove the camera's timestamp banner and resized.
