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The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications issued a public admonition of former Benton Circuit Court Judge Rex Kepner for engaging in conduct unbecoming of a judicial officer.
Kepner was admonished for his actions during a hearing in October 2020, where he reportedly gave money to a defendant to settle a balance in a default judgment.
According to the admonition, Kepner asked the plaintiff how much money it would take to settle the judgment that day, retreating to his chambers before directing his court reporter to give that amount to the defendant to pay the judgment. The court reporter explained the money was a loan from the judge.
The plaintiff was unaware Kepner was the one who provided the money.
Kepner said that while his actions were intended to help a community member, he acknowledges they violated the Judicial Code of Conduct, including Rule 1.2, which “requires judges to act in [a] manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary and to avoid impropriety.”
The commission said that while judges can feel sympathy toward a litigant, they must remain impartial and can’t allow their compassion to cause them to act in a way that could make the public question that impartiality.
Kepner cooperated fully with the commission.
He will not be formally charged with ethical misconduct.
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