Northern District flags at half-staff for late Judge Lozano

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana announced Friday that federal courthouses in Fort Wayne, Hammond, Lafayette and South Bend would lower flags to half-staff through Monday in honor of the late Senior Judge Rudy Lozano.

“Rudy Lozano was a friend, mentor, advocate, partner and colleague to so many in northwest Indiana during his 22 years as a trial lawyer. It was his true calling,” Northern District Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann said of Lozano, who died Wednesday with his family at his side.

“When given the opportunity to take the federal trial court bench as a district court judge, he brought to the job his love for the law and desire to bring fairness, common sense and justice to the individuals whose cases were entrusted to him. He did this every work day, for 30 years, giving his best, his all, to the end. He was the heart and soul of our Court,” Springmann said.

Friends and colleagues recalled Lozano as an honest and compassionate attorney and a fair jurist. He was the first Hispanic judge appointed to the federal bench in Indiana.

Born in East Chicago, Lozano marked his 76^th birthday on Tuesday in his hometown. Following his graduation from Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington in 1966, Lozano entered private practice and rose to partner in the Merrillville and Valparaiso law firm of Spangler, Jennings, Spangler and Dougherty, PC. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1966 to 1973.

Services are pending.