Disciplinary charges filed against Howard Superior Court judge

(IL file photo)

The Indiana Supreme Court Commission on Judicial Qualifications has filed formal charges of judicial misconduct against Howard Superior Court Judge Matthew J. Elkin.

The commission is accusing Elkin of nine counts of misconduct, saying he failed to maintain appropriate ethical boundaries between himself and participants in the Howard County Drug Court and Howard County Re-Entry Court, which he presided over.

“The commission charges that Judge Elkin abused the prestige of his judicial office to advance the personal interests of himself and others and allowed his personal and extrajudicial activities to take precedence over the duties of judicial office,” said Kathryn Dolan, Chief Public Information Officer for the Indiana Supreme Court.

Elkin’s attorney did not immediately respond to The Indiana Lawyer’s request for comment.

Before being elected as judge in November 2022, Elkin was a criminal defense attorney and served as the appointed public defender in Howard Superior Court 1 for both the drug and re-entry problem-solving courts.

Once on the bench, Elkin repeatedly and improperly presided over cases involving clients he had previously represented, the commission alleges.

Elkin is also accused of picking up problem-solving court participants in his personal vehicle and allowing another participant to rent a rental property owned by his wife. Elkin allegedly offered benefits and assistance to certain problem-solving court participants but not others.

Elkin is also accused of making injudicious statements to both participants and staff. When he first began as the presiding judge, he allegedly told court staff that he was going to “mess with” and “f*ck with” the participants.

The state’s high court will now decide whether any judicial misconduct occurred. Elkin is permitted but not required to file an answer to the charges within 20 days.

 The case is In the Matter of Matthew John Elkin, 25S-JD-69.