ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Former Referee Barbara Johnston has been admonished by the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications for violating the Code of Judicial Conduct in a custody case.

Johnston was admonished for temporarily suspending a father's parenting time with his daughter based, in part, on notes received from a Guardian Ad Litem, but those notes were not shared with the father or his counsel.

Referee Johnston was required to provide copies of any written documents to all parties. When the father's counsel requested copies of the notes, Referee Johnston denied the request.

The commission said it issued the admonition in lieu of filing formal charges because Referee Johnston made corrective actions to remedy her mistake.

Johnston retired on May 31, 2022.