Madison County Judge's Name Linked to Epstein Files

Judge Andrew Carruthers represented Epstein in a collection case over a decade ago, unaware of Epstein's crimes.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 9:50am

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A Madison County judge, Andrew Carruthers, has found his name in the infamous Epstein files due to his past legal representation of Jeffrey Epstein in a collection matter over a decade ago. Carruthers, who was then a new associate at a law firm, was assigned to handle the case involving a foreign judgment Epstein had won. Carruthers says he had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal history at the time and never met or communicated directly with him. The revelation of Carruthers' name in the Epstein files has caused him great worry and anxiety, as he is now a respected judge in the community with a young family.

Why it matters

The inclusion of Carruthers' name in the Epstein files, despite his limited involvement, highlights the complex ethical issues lawyers can face in representing clients, even those with unsavory reputations. It also raises questions about how judges' pasts can come back to haunt them, even when their actions were lawful at the time.

The details

In 2013, Carruthers, then a new associate at the HeplerBroom law firm, was assigned to handle a collection matter for Epstein involving a $250,000 foreign judgment Epstein had won in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Carruthers filed the judgment in Illinois and attempted to collect the debt, but the debtor went bankrupt and the case was closed. Carruthers says he had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal history at the time and never met or communicated directly with him.

  • In 2013, Carruthers was assigned to handle the collection matter for Epstein.
  • In 2019, Epstein was indicted on federal charges related to an international sex trafficking ring involving minors.
  • In 2021, Madison County circuit judges appointed Carruthers as an associate judge.

The players

Andrew Carruthers

A Madison County judge who previously represented Jeffrey Epstein in a collection matter while working as a new associate at a law firm.

Jeffrey Epstein

A disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who was the subject of a high-profile federal indictment in 2019 for an international sex trafficking ring involving minors.

HeplerBroom

The law firm where Carruthers worked as a new associate when he represented Epstein in the collection matter.

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What they’re saying

“I was assigned to serve as local counsel for attorneys in another jurisdiction seeking to enforce a civil money judgment for their client who, at the time, was completely unknown to us, just as he was unknown to most of the country 13 years ago.”

— Andrew Carruthers, Judge

“If every controversial client you had disqualified you, there would be very few lawyers who would be eligible to serve as judges.”

— Carol Needham, Professor, St. Louis University School of Law

What’s next

The circuit judges in Madison County will decide whether to return Carruthers to the bench when his current term expires in 2029.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex ethical issues lawyers can face in representing clients, even those with unsavory reputations, and how a lawyer's past can come back to haunt them, even when their actions were lawful at the time. It also raises questions about how judges' pasts are scrutinized and the potential impact on their careers.