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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe first Hispanic judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana’s history will share his journey to the bench with the public as part of Hispanic Heritage Month this fall.
The district court, bankruptcy court and probation office for the Indiana Southern District and the Indiana State Bar Association Latino Affairs Committee will host the sixth annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Indianapolis.
Magistrate Judge Mario Garcia, the first Hispanic judge in the Indiana Southern District Court’s history, will be the keynote speaker.
According to the federal court, Garcia will “speak about his family, his personal and professional background, and how his life experiences — and those of his ancestors — led him to the federal bench.”
Garcia was sworn in as magistrate judge on April 5, 2021, after the Judicial Conference of the United States created the position in 2020.
Garcia is a 1999 graduate of what is now the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. After graduating, Garcia joined the firm of Brattain & Minnix, later known as Brattain Minnix Garcia, where he became a partner in the firm in 2008.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Garcia was a member of the Indiana Southern District’s Criminal Justice Act panel, through which he represented indigent litigants. He also provided pro bono services for 10 years to participants in the district court’s Re-Entry and Community Help Program, which helps individuals re-entering society after incarceration obtain access to housing, employment and public assistance programs.
Last year’s Hispanic Heritage Month event put on by the Indiana Southern District featured Chief Judge Juan R. Sanchez of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the first Hispanic chief judge in his court’s history.
Limited in-person seating is available for the free, one-hour CLE that’s open to the public. Virtual participation will also be offered.
Pre-registration is required and is available by emailing [email protected]. Registrants are asked to indicate their preference for virtual or in person attendance.
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