Jury trial begins for Elkhart County deputy clerk accused of misconduct

GOSHEN, Ind. — Testimony is underway in the official misconduct trial of Elkhart County Deputy Clerk, Carol Smith.

Smith and her former boss, former Clerk Christopher Anderson, were both charged with paying clerk supervisors for more hours than they actually worked.

Anderson resigned in mid-December and pleaded guilty last week.

Smith’s criminal jury trial began Monday at the Elkhart County Courthouse in Goshen. It comes as county court operations are now under one roof, a change from when the alleged misconduct occurred between August 2023 and September 2024, when Elkhart County and Goshen operated separate courthouses.

Smith appeared in court alongside her attorney, Bob Masters. After a morning of jury selection, Masters waived an opening statement before Prosecutor Vicki Becker began calling witnesses.

Those witnesses included a detective with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department and County Auditor Patty Pickens, who was elected last week to take over Anderson’s role as clerk over Smith.

Two of the three clerk supervisors who reported to Smith also testified Monday.

One supervisor told the jury Smith instructed supervisors they could clock 40 hours a week instead of the 36 hours they were actually working in an email chain was presented to the jury as evidence.

Prosecutors say the case is about principle, while the defense says it is one of misunderstanding.

The prosecution called its fourth witness before testimony wrapped up for the day.

The trial resumes Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.