State v. Carviou

John Carviou appeals an order of Judge Harold Froehlich, the chief judge for the eighth judicial district, refusing to order the recusal of Reserve Judge Timothy Vocke in this case. Carviou asked for recusal on the grounds that Vocke was serving as a special prosecutor at the same time he was serving as a reserve judge, creating a conflict, or apparent conflict, of interest. We hold that no mechanism exists for a district's chief judge to decide this type of motion, and that a motion for recusal must be decided by the judge to whom it is addressed. Judge Froehlich's order is therefore…