Is it a conflict of interest, if the judge is good friends with the victim?
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Is it a conflict of interest, if the judge is good friends with the victim?
And how can a judge change the terms of probation after they were already decided in court?
Asked on March 6, 2014 under Criminal Law, Indiana
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
It would almost certainly be a conflict of interest if the judge were good friends with the victim, and this could quite possibly provide grounds to reverse the decision and get a new trial. As for the terms of probation: a judge could possibly change it if new facts some out, but otherwise typically would not be able to, and if the terms were changed due to the friendship with the victim, that again could provide grounds for an appeal.
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