The parties in a divorce case involving former Columbus Township Trustee Ben Jackson have agreed to select a Brown County magistrate judge to serve as special judge in the case, according to court filings.
Amy Jackson and Ben Jackson filed notice on Wednesday that they had agreed to select Brown Circuit Magistrate Judge Jennifer Wilson Reagan to handle their case, according to records in Bartholomew Circuit Court.
Last week, Bartholomew Circuit Judge Kelly Benjamin cited a conflict of interest and gave the parties seven days to agree upon a special judge to preside over the case, according to court records.
Amy Jackson filed for divorce from Ben Jackson on May 27, citing “an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage” just six days after the Indiana State Board of Accounts published findings from its investigation into the former trustee’s usage of the township credit card.
In her petition for divorce, Amy Jackson also asked for a provisional hearing to “determine, among other things, payment of bills and possession of the marital residence.”
The SBOA audit found that Ben Jackson had racked up $1.12 million in personal expenses on the township credit card over an eight-year period, including $657,831 on vacations for himself, his wife and their adult children, as well as $150,078 in retail purchases and $90,915 in college tuition for their children, among other charges.
Ben Jackson allegedly used the township credit card for $22,036 in airfare for Amy Jackson, according to the report. The SBOA has also asked Ben Jackson to repay the township just over $1 million for unauthorized personal use of the township credit card.
A magistrate judge has also granted a request from Amy Jackson for a temporary financial restraining order.
The order temporarily bars either party from transferring, concealing or disposing of property; changing the beneficiaries on any life insurance policies, employment benefits, IRA or 401K accounts they currently have; removing any personal property from the marital residence; or incurring debt that they would be jointly liable for.
Amy Jackson’s petition for divorce states that the couple were “physically separated” at the time of filing.
