On Monday, December 2, 2024, the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications filed disciplinary charges against Lake Superior Court Judge Calvin D. Hawkins, accusing him of three counts of misconduct. The allegations include inappropriate physical contact and comments directed towards a courthouse staff member.
The charges stem from incidents that occurred in October 2023 during a jury trial relocation from East Chicago due to technical issues with recording equipment. Judge Hawkins is accused of rubbing the shoulder of the staff member, and later attempting to hug and kiss her. Following these incidents, he allegedly sent her a card expressing gratitude for their meeting and acknowledging that he may have appeared too forward due to having “some ‘loose screws’ in my head.”
Additionally, Hawkins reportedly made a questionable remark about another staff member who was working on the recording system, suggesting she was “on her hands and knees,” which the individual interpreted as a sexual innuendo. The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications, upon investigation, claims to have identified a pattern of inappropriate behavior, including unwanted hugs and suggestive comments made towards the same staff member.
Judge Hawkins has been given a period of 20 days to formally respond to the allegations. The commission is seeking the Indiana Supreme Court’s intervention to appoint a panel of judges that would conduct a public hearing regarding the alleged misconduct and determine appropriate sanctions.
Hawkins has been serving as a judge on the Lake Superior Court since 2007.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
