Opinion
No. 45S00-0404-DI-151.
December 18, 2007.
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHY THE HEARING OFFICER APPOINTED IN THIS CASE SHOULD NOT BE HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT.
This Court appointed Lizbeth Pease to serve as the hearing officer in this case on June 18, 2004. The parties submitted agreed facts, the case has been briefed, and it has been pending before the hearing officer since April 11, 2005. On June 29, 2007, the Court issued an "Order Directing Expedited Resolution," requiring the hearing officer to submit findings of fact and any recommendations to this Court within 30 days of the date of the order. The hearing officer did not comply. The hearing officer failed to respond to four attempts by this Court's Administration Division to contact her by telephone in September 2007, and failed to respond to a letter from the Division dated October 5, 2007.
Being duly advised, the Court now ORDERS the hearing officer, Lizbeth Pease, to show cause in writing why she should not be held in contempt of this Court for failure to comply with this Court's "Order Directing Expedited Resolution." The hearing officer's submission must be physically received by the Clerk's office no latter than noon, December 27, 2007.
The Clerk of this Court is directed to serve a certified copy of this Order upon the hearing officer, Lizbeth Pease, by delivering a copy to her personally at the her business address as shown on the Roll of Attorneys, i.e., Lizbeth W. Pease, Nichols Wallsmith, 54 E. Washington Street, Knox, Indiana 46534.
The Clerk of this Court is further directed to provide notice of this Order to the parties or their attorneys.
Done at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 18th day of December, 2007.
All Justices concur.