04092003 - News Article - Attorney demands documents from Schererville town judge - Political opponent's campaign treasurer says tickets being classified to benefit town - ROBERT CANTRELL

Attorney demands documents from Schererville town judge
Political opponent's campaign treasurer says tickets being classified to benefit town
NWI Times
Apr 9, 2003
nwitimes.com/news/local/attorney-demands-documents-from-schererville-town-judge/article_df685b2e-9866-5571-8c7c-3a7cacdea32d.html
CROWN POINT -- A lawyer claims Schererville Town Judge Deborah Riga could be hiding evidence of the illegal redirection of thousands of dollars in state and county court revenues to Schererville's town coffers.

Frank R. Martinez, a Highland attorney and a campaign official for one of her political opponents, is suing Riga to obtain court records he believes may prove his case.

Riga said Tuesday that Martinez's suit is only a political ploy to embarrass her over a minor problem she resolved last year.

She is running for re-election in the May 6 Democratic primary. She is opposed by attorneys Randy A. Godshalk, Benjamen W. Murphy and Kenneth L. Anderson. Martinez is Anderson's campaign treasurer.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts conducted a routine audit of the Town Court's financial books for the years 2000 and 2001. It issued a report in December taking the judge to task for reclassifying eight traffic tickets Schererville police issued.

The drivers originally were charged with state infractions, which would require all court fines and fees to be split among state, county and local government treasuries. Riga reclassified them as violations of town ordinances and all of the money paid by the drivers stayed home in Schererville's bank accounts.

The State Board of Accounts demanded the court return $950 for those eight tickets. Riga said it was returned, even though she believes two of the tickets were properly classified. "Everything was documented. Everything was brought up to par."

However, Martinez contends he has spoken with former Town Court employees who say "there are many, many more such tickets." He asked the judge in writing in February to provide him with copies of nine more traffic tickets and seven months of court receipt books so he can do his own search for improperly reclassified tickets. "I haven't heard from her yet. I wonder why?"

He also filed a complaint with Anne Mullin O'Connor, public access counselor for Indiana, who states in writing she attempted to contact the judge, but her telephone calls were not returned and that her request for public documents had been denied.

Martinez contends in his suit the Town Court is in violation of the state's public records law and is seeking an order from a Superior Court judge demanding the documents be made available to him.

Riga said she hasn't seen the suit and won't comment on it.