Court commissioner publicly admonished

A Delaware County Commissioner has been publicly admonished for his conduct after receiving a parking ticket in February 2009.

Commissioner Brian M. Pierce, who serves as the Delaware Circuit Juvenile Commissioner, admitted to violating Rules 1.2 and 1.3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

He received a parking ticket for parking in the wrong direction. He saw the City of Muncie code enforcement officer ticketing his car and argued against it because he was a court commissioner and juvenile court judge. Commissioner Pierce later called the city's Board of Public Works and Safety complaining about the ticket and suggested he would subpoena the secretary and code enforcement officer to explain the situation. Commissioner Pierce also spoke to the deputy mayor and mayor – often using profanity during the conversation – to contest the ticket. He paid the ticket 10 days later.

The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualification's decision to issue the public admonition instead of filing formal charges was partly influenced by the fact the Delaware County Board of Judges already sanctioned Commissioner Pierce to a 2-week suspension without pay for his misconduct.

"Although the Commission views judicial abuse of the prestige of office, or even the appearance of such impropriety, as a very serious violation, the Commission determined that this matter should be concluded with a Public Admonition, in light of the Delaware County Board of Judges' immediate and appropriate response and Commissioner Pierce's acceptance of that discipline," according to the public admonishment.