LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Tanya Walton Pratt

Chief Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana

Howard University School of Law, 1984

Why did you decide to enter the legal profession?

I wanted to work with my father, Charles A. Walton. My father was an attorney who graduated from IU School of Law in 1959. He was a member of the 1965 Indiana General Assembly and a Democratic ward chairman. I remember going to court with him when they had Saturday hearings and attending rallies during the civil rights movement. Although I was a girl, it didn’t matter to my father. He always made me feel that I could do anything I wanted. He never told me to become a lawyer but being in his presence and the presence of his colleagues — great legal giants such as civil rights attorneys John O. Moss and John Preston Ward and jurists such as Judge Mercer Mance — turned me in that direction.

If you hadn’t pursued a legal career, what would you be doing?

I was a political science major and history minor in college, and I would have used my degree to teach — probably as a college professor. I can also see myself using those skills as a genealogist because learning about family history can be a challenge for Black Americans.

Who is someone who has inspired you in your career?

My parents. My mother was a kindergarten teacher for 40 years in the Indianapolis Public Schools; my father was a trial lawyer. The example they set for their children was to value family, friends, society and service. They provided me a wonderful education, raised me in the church and taught me the value of hard work.

As a law student at Howard University, I had the opportunity to meet Justice Thurgood Marshall. He was nearing retirement, but he still possessed the charisma, intellect and wisdom that also inspired me to become a lawyer who would fight for what was right and for the civil rights of all Americans.

What makes a good lawyer/judge?

A strong work ethic, patience and the ability to communicate, negotiate and think strategically. And of course, absolute dedication to the rule of law.

What is something you wish people knew about lawyers?

We are kind and caring. Although the profession is often adversarial, lawyers seek to advocate their position with civility and professionalism.

Tell us about a “lesson learned moment” in your career.

I became overwhelmed once I added the administrative tasks of being the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. I accepted the advice of my predecessor: Surround yourself with smart and dedicated law clerks and staff; it will make your life much easier. I now embrace the unavoidable leadership paradox: You sometimes need to be less involved and wisely activate those around you.

What advice would you give attorneys who want to become judges?

Practice civility, protect your reputation, treat everyone with respect and dignity, be prepared always, be active in your community and pursue professional development. Have confidence in yourself. You may not get what you want when you want it, so don’t take rejection personally; learn from it. Dream big, have a vision, set goals, and stick with it!

Why did you decide to seek the bench?

As a relatively new lawyer, my mentor, Judge Webster Brewer, gave me the opportunity to sit as a pro tem judge in his court and experience the other side of the bench. I absolutely loved it. Transitioning from an advocate to an impartial arbiter came easily for me. Judge Brewer later encouraged me to run for judge in the Marion Superior Court. He provided me with the experience so that I would have the confidence to successfully pursue a career on the bench.

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

I am very proud of the decision and the result in the case Indiana Protection Advocacy Services v. Indiana Department of Corrections. The case involved seriously mentally ill prisoners who were routinely held in solitary confinement in Indiana prisons, and it is a prime example of the pursuit of justice. Following the trial in December 2012, I found that the treatment of seriously mentally ill persons in Indiana prisons violated their constitutional right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. Once the ruling was made, I applauded the response of the IDOC and the State of Indiana, both of whom complied with remediation, and the parties reached a private settlement agreement. After the agreement was approved, I ran into one of the lawyers for the IDOC. We talked about the fact this case was one in which all parties felt good, and we all felt that justice had prevailed.

You have the distinction of being the first Black federal judge in Indiana history and the first Black chief judge of the court. Aside from those firsts, what do you hope your legacy is/will be?

I hope my legacy will be that Tanya Walton Pratt was a judge who dedicated herself to one basic principle: the advancement of jurisprudence and making this nation a more just society through the legal system.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Leave work issues at work. As a state court judge, I spent 12 years presiding over major felony criminal cases. As a federal judge, I’ve had to make tough decisions in both the criminal and the civil arenas. Regulating your working hours and the time you think about work is the key to managing your stress level, as well as maintaining your physical and mental health and enjoying life with family and friends.
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