VALPARAISO | A former employee of Porter Superior Judge David Chidester has accused him of firing her last year because she is married to the legal partner of an attorney seeking to unseat the judge in the upcoming elections.

Tracy Catsadimas filed a notice of her intention to sue Chidester for both the wrongful firing and for making subsequent statements about her being disloyal and not hard working.

Chidester, a Democrat, responded in a written statement Friday that "all employment decisions made by me as judge were made with the best interests of the court in mind."

He said an unemployment compensation officer determined she was fired for just cause.

Chidester questioned the timing of the tort notice, which was filed in May, along with pointing out that Catsadimas and a couple family members have been photographed wearing political T-shirts for his Republican political opponent, Tim Vojslavek.

Catsadimas, who could not be reached Friday for comment, said in her tort claim that Chidester asked her to resign as bailiff Nov. 19 because her husband's legal partner was planning to run against him for judge. She is married to attorney Nick Catsadimas.

She said she was given until the next day to resign or she would be terminated. Catsadimas said Chidester called her at home that evening and fired her.

She claims the firing was without just cause, retaliatory and a political move.

Chidester said in his statement that tort notices are a procedural step to retain the right to sue, yet often do not result in legal action.

"It has nothing to do with whether the claim has merit," he said.