Judge with propensity for hugging workers said he had 'loose screws' in head after thwarted kiss, ethics complaint says
A judge in East Chicago, Indiana, who acknowledged routinely hugging court staff members is facing ethics charges that allege unwanted touching and inappropriate remarks. (Image from Shutterstock)
Updated: A judge in East Chicago, Indiana, who acknowledged routinely hugging court staff members is facing ethics charges that allege unwanted touching and inappropriate remarks.
Lake Superior Court Judge Calvin D. Hawkins, who was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1971, not only hugged but also kissed or tried to kiss staff members, according to the ethics complaint filed Dec. 2 by the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications.
In one instance in October 2023, Hawkins wrote an apologetic note to staff member “F.R.” that said he had “loose screws” in his head, according to the ethics complaint.
F.R. worked in the Hammond, Indiana, courthouse, where a trial had been moved because of malfunctioning recording equipment in Hawkins’ East Chicago courtroom.
F.R. said Hawkins rubbed her shoulder when he first met her and stared at her chest area, causing her to put on a sweater over her turtleneck. Later, when she delivered juror paperwork to the judge, he put his arm around her and tried to kiss her, she said. F.R. pushed away the judge.
Hawkins at first said he didn’t recall trying to kiss F.R., but then he contended in his deposition that he may have “blown a kiss to her or something.” He said he had reached over to hug and thank her for her help with recording equipment, but she recoiled.
Hawkins’ note to the staff member read: “It was such a pleasure meeting you last week. Thank you for being so gracious as I have some ‘loose screws’ in my head and may have appeared too forward.”
Also in Hammond, another employee, “T.B.,” was kneeling to work on the recording system, leading Hawkins to comment that she was “on her hands and knees.” T.B. interpreted the remark as sexual.
During the ethics investigation, the conduct commission received information that Hawkins gave unwanted hugs to his staff member, “J.P.” She told Hawkins that she didn’t want to be hugged, and she didn’t want the judge to come near her work area because it made her uncomfortable, the ethics complaint said.
In one instance, J.P. said, Hawkins commented that her arms were showing and tried to put his hands on her shoulder. J.P. said she turned away and told Hawkins to keep his hands to himself. At other times, Hawkins commented on her makeup, she said.
In another instance, Hawkins was discussing with J.P. the need to familiarize another staffer with how to handle a particular kind of case dismissal. Hawkins allegedly asked, “Shall we have a threesome?”
Another staff member, “C.G.,” said Hawkins hugged and kissed her in early 2024. Hawkins testified in his deposition that he thought that he kissed C.G. on the cheek or head.
Hawkins made this statement when asked whether his hugging had a negative impact on the integrity of the judiciary, according to the commission: “It has a negative effect, but there’s a certain aspect of it, one’s humanity, OK, you know? And I don’t want to demean the fact that if that’s not something that you’re sensitive to, you can go crazy with it. OK? And you could become a quote, unquote a predator, could be a predator. My characterization of when I got this, the only person that I felt could have had any kind of feeling would be the young lady that I had met for the very first time.”
The reference was to F.R., according to the complaint.
Hawkins is represented by lawyer James Voyles, according to a Dec. 2 press release. Voyles told the ABA Journal that he does not comment on his cases.
Among the publications reporting on the complaint are the Post-Tribune via the Chicago Tribune and Lakeshore Public Media.
Updated Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. to report that lawyer James Voyles declined to comment to the ABA Journal.
