Indiana Supreme Court Suspends Judge Jose D. Salinas
Salinas is suspended without pay for 45 days over mishandled criminal and expungement cases in Marion Superior Court 23.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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The Indiana Supreme Court suspended Marion Superior Court 23 Judge Jose D. Salinas without pay for 45 days, ruling he failed to properly handle criminal and expungement cases and to adequately supervise his staff. The ruling followed errors that kept a defendant jailed for 166 days after a release order and left a man charged as a serious violent felon over a case that should have been expunged.
Why it matters
The case shows how clerical and supervisory failures can lead to lengthy wrongful detention and improper criminal charges for Hoosiers. Indiana's high court is also investigating two other state judges for similar behavior, signaling broader scrutiny of court operations statewide.
Salinas' 45-day unpaid suspension runs from 12:01 a.m. on December 7, 2026, to 12:01 a.m. on January 21, 2027, when he is automatically reinstated. The court review identified 427 pending expungement cases, and the investigation of two other Indiana judges for similar conduct remains active.
The players
Indiana Supreme Court
The state's highest court, which holds disciplinary authority over Indiana's judges and issued the suspension.
Jose D. Salinas
A judge presiding over Marion Superior Court 23 in Indianapolis, who has no prior disciplinary history and has since implemented new courtroom procedures.
The details
The Indiana Supreme Court ruled on November 5, 2026, that Salinas failed to properly handle criminal and expungement cases and did not adequately supervise his staff. Staff failed to enter a proper release code, so one defendant stayed in jail for 166 days after being ordered released, and a prior case was not expunged despite a court order years earlier. Salinas self-reported many of the errors, cooperated fully with the investigation, has implemented new courtroom procedures, and has no prior disciplinary history.
Timeline
April 2026: A man was charged as a serious violent felon because his prior case had not been expunged.
November 5, 2026: The Indiana Supreme Court issued its ruling against Salinas.
December 7, 2026: Salinas' suspension begins at 12:01 a.m.
January 21, 2027: Salinas' suspension ends at 12:01 a.m., and he is automatically reinstated.
Legal Context
The suspension is a rare sanction for a trial judge in Indiana and reflects the Indiana Supreme Court's disciplinary authority over local courts. The Court's parallel investigation of two other Indiana judges suggests a pattern review rather than an isolated lapse.
Defendants and people with expunged records in Marion County face risk when clerical errors delay release or expungement. Anyone with a pending expungement can check its status with the court to confirm it has been properly entered.
The takeaway
Court records are only as reliable as the staff who maintain them, so verifying that release orders and expungements are processed can prevent avoidable jail time. Residents with records in question should confirm the status directly with their court.
What happens next
The Indiana Supreme Court's suspension of Salinas takes effect December 7, 2026, and he is set to be reinstated automatically on January 21, 2027.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Criminal Justice reporting on court procedures and sentencing in Indiana.
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