Bad Judge

Bad Judge of the day (03-11-11): DISHONORABLE K. Mark Lloyd of Johnson County, In. He has an undisclosed conflict of interest because he sits on the board of directors to the Regional Services Council Committee (RSCC), an agency that decides what DCS contracted agencies will be used in his area. BAD JUDGE!

Occasionally, this reporter will hear about a judge who may not appear to be getting financial incentives for swaying their decisions, but their decisions still appear to be swayed for other reasons, even if it’s just a proverbial pat on the back from their peers or to feel in control of something.

One mother, Sherri Lynne Dungan, claims he allowed her parental rights to be terminated without just cause because the reporting individual who called Child Protective Services, Jodi Checkeye, is the daughter of the influential Warren Beville. Beville was a city councilman for the City of Greenwood, Indiana during the 60′s and 70′s.

Reportedly, Checkeye has custody of Dungan’s son as the result of poverty issues and no actual abuse allegations have been charged against Dungan.

“It’s a nightmare. It’s like she just ordered my son like you order an item from a restaurant,” Dungan cried.

In a brief, telephonic interview, Lloyd said that the RSCC is a statutory committee that decides what contracts the county will use for the foster care system and there are many officials involved besides himself.

He said that there is a process in In. for a judge to go through if they want to sit on the board of directors to a DCS directly contracted agency so that it can be certain to all that there is no conflict of interest involved, but he does not believe this process is needed for his involvement with any of the agencies he is a participant of.

Lloyd also claimed to be on another committee that provided monies to the foster care system.

He also claimed that he was attending college and high school while Beville was in office and did not know him.

Lloyd would not comment on Dungan’s case or why her child was removed without any substantiated allegations of actual abuse in his courtroom.

As of this date, Dungan’s parental rights to her son have been terminated and she hopes to overturn her case.

Large Visitor Globe