James D. Worton

I’m a parent-litigant in a Bartholomew County family case. Judge James Worton was our judge from our divorce in 2016 to 2024, when I finally learned how to file for a change of judge. My experience with Judge Worton involved repeated denials of due process and procedural safeguards in high-stakes custody matters, and denial of co-parent coordination despite nearly a decade of high conflict and consistent evaluator recommendations. My experience was a disturbingly rushed, procedurally unfair “trial-by-ambush” dynamic and judicial reinforcement bias— including moot and drastic custody disruptions; a custody modification/evaluation hearing that remained pending across multiple calendar years (approximately ten continuances); and unresolved appearance-of-conflict of interest concerns. When the hearing finally occurred, relief was denied one business day later despite years of circumstances, a detailed 77-page custody evaluation, and an approximately eight-hour hearing (including expert testimony). I see other comments stating he is “biased towards mothers” I myself am the mother in my case. It is my experience/perspective that he is biased but it is not a gendered bias. It seems to be a rush to side with surface level optics.