The Indiana Supreme Court has suspended a Lawrence County judge for 60 days without pay after concluding he violated Indiana’s judicial conduct rules through marijuana use and inconsistent statements made during a disciplinary investigation.
According to a published opinion issued by the Indiana Supreme Court, Lawrence Superior Court I Judge John M. Plummer III admitted to using cannabis products between February and May 2025 while serving on the bench. The court’s ruling followed an investigation by the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications.
Court records state that Plummer used cannabis-infused gummies and vaped marijuana products that had reportedly been purchased legally in Michigan and brought back into Indiana by a family member. While marijuana remains legal in neighboring Michigan, it remains illegal under Indiana law.
The disciplinary case intensified following an April 2025 Lawrence County Council meeting, where court documents say Plummer appeared “impaired” and behaved erratically while discussing court budget matters. The Indiana Supreme Court opinion described pressured speech and comments unrelated to the topics under discussion.
According to the court, Plummer later acknowledged that portions of his deposition testimony regarding his marijuana use were materially inconsistent and incomplete during the investigation period.
The Indiana Supreme Court concluded that Plummer violated multiple provisions of Indiana’s Code of Judicial Conduct. In its opinion, the court emphasized that misconduct involving illegal drug use carries heightened concern when committed by a judicial officer responsible for interpreting and enforcing the law.
Despite that, the court stopped short of permanently removing Plummer from office. Justices cited several mitigating factors, including the absence of prior disciplinary history, eventual acceptance of responsibility, and evidence suggesting the conduct occurred during what the opinion described as a period of “personal stress and instability.”
The suspension is effective immediately and will be served without pay.
The case also highlights an increasingly common tension in Indiana communities located near state borders, where marijuana products remain easily accessible in neighboring states despite continuing prohibition under Indiana law. That legal divide has created growing cultural and legal friction across parts of southern Indiana in recent years.
Sources used for this article included the Indiana Supreme Court disciplinary opinion and publicly filed documents from the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications.