Judge in rehab after DUI conviction, says he has no plans to resign
Judge Christopher Buckley, 46, a superior court judge in Porter County, Indiana, is undergoing treatment after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated. (Photo from Facebook/Keep Buckley Judge Campaign)
An Indiana judge said he has no intention of resigning as he attends full-time treatment following a conviction for drunk driving.
Porter County Superior Court Judge Christopher Buckley, 46, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was arrested last month in Michigan City, Indiana. He pleaded guilty two days later to a misdemeanor charge of drunk driving and was sentenced to six months of probation, a 60-day suspended jail sentence, and treatment through the state’s Judicial and Legal Assistance Program, the Post-Tribune reports.
Buckley, who put his reelection campaign on hold, told the Post-Tribune on Tuesday that he has not decided whether to resume.
“As to any final decision, I have not determined what awaits me. That will be from my higher power, and that fate rests squarely with the people of Porter County,” he said in an email response to questions from the Post-Tribune.
A Marine Corps veteran, Buckley told the Post-Tribune that he is attending treatment full time through the Veterans Administration in Crown Point, Indiana, and Chicago, as he is a disabled combat vet.
In a statement after his plea agreement, Buckley said he has struggled with alcohol since his service in the Marine Corps more than 20 years ago.
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