Senior judge charged for having sexual relationship with client

INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) - A senior Indiana judge now sits with disciplinary charges on her shoulders after she allegedly had an inappropriate, sexual relationship with a criminal defendant she represented.

The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications has filed charges against Lisa Traylor-Wolff, a senior judge serving in Pulaski and Fulton counties.

The Commission says Judge Traylor-Wolff violated the Code of Conduct. The charges, or allegations, can be determined true or untrue only by the five members of the Indiana Supreme Court.

The Commission is charging that Judge Traylor-Wolff went against conduct standards that apply to all judges – including senior judges.

Senior judges work on a part-time basis, filling in for trial court judges. These part-time judges, who are attorneys, are also permitted to represent clients. Full-time judges are not able to represent anyone.

These charges against Judge Traylor-Wolff originate from when she was representing a client, not while serving as a judge.

The charges allege Judge Traylor-Wolff had a physically intimate relationship with a 26-year-old client she represented. Traylor-Wolff was appointed to represent a defendant on felony charges. That defendant was eventually convicted and sentenced to the Department of Correction.

Traylor-Wolff continued representing that client on appeal and the Commission says she began a romantic relationship with the client during this time.

The Commission added the inappropriate conduct occurred when Traylor-Wolff and the client were in an attorney-client visitation room at the Miami Correctional Facility.

Traylor-Wolff, who didn’t request to be re-certified as a senior judge this year, faces a total of three charges of violating the Code of Judicial Conduct.

For count one, the Commission alleges Judge Traylor-Wolff violated Rule 1.8(j) of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibits a lawyer from having sexual relations with a client.

For count two, the Commission says she violated Rule 1.7(a)(2) of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which states a lawyer cannot represent a client if there is a significant risk that the representation will be materially limited by a personal interest of the lawyer.

And for count three, the Commission alleges Judge Traylor-Wolff violated Rule 1.2 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires a judge to promote confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and to avoid impropriety.

The Commission also said she violated Rule 3.1(C) of the Code of Judicial Conduct which prohibits judges from engaging in activities that would appear to undermine the judge’s independence, integrity or impartiality.

The charges have been filed in the Appellate Clerk's Office in Indianapolis.

Judge Traylor-Wolff may file what is called an “answer” to the charges. The Answer must be filed within 20 days of receiving notice of the charges.

After the Answer is filed, or when 20 days has passed, the Indiana Supreme Court will appoint three Masters to conduct a public hearing.