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Assigned court?
I’m in Marion Superior 26, a court that hears level 6 felonies and misdemeanors.
How long have you been a Marion Superior Court judge? Judicial officer?
Unbelievably for me, it’s been almost twelve years. In December, I’ll be finishing up my second term.
Other projects, committees, or service roles you are involved in off the bench?
As for in-house duties, I’m in charge of the judicial education committee that organizes topics and programming for Marion County judicial officers. I also serve on the Marion Superior Court Executive Committee’s Governance sub-committee. I’ve been a member of the Indiana Judicial Conference’s Criminal Bench Book Committee for the last four years. Last year, I served as the Chair for Indybar’s Women in the Law Division (WLD) and am continuing (with lots of help from my artistic daughter and friends on the committee) to finalize the WLD’s Coloring Book project. All Rise: Stand-up Women in Hoosier History highlights the many contributions made by Indiana women, both past and present. We’re hopeful it will be ready for distribution in the next few months. I’m also working with the Indybar’s HEAL committee to develop a more robust program to support lawyer and judicial officer well-being. Stay tuned for our kick-off announcement soon!
Best tip you have for lawyers appearing in your court or criminal law courts in general?
Number one tip: be organized. It may sound simple, but in a high-volume court, organization and time-management are central to being prepared. The most successful lawyers I’ve seen triage their cases early in the process, making it much easier for them to keep up with the unrelenting influx of new cases. Second tip: be polite. Admittedly, I have a very low threshold for unnecessary snark between attorneys during a hearing. Emotions can run high at times, and it’s important for all of us, including me, not to take things personally.
Did you ever have a mentor that made a positive impact on you?
One of my biggest regrets as a young attorney was not having the chutzpah to ask older and more experienced legal professionals for a moment of their time: I was convinced they’d decline. Now that I’m the one that’s old, I can assure you that when a young lawyer asks me to meet, I’m thrilled. Lesson learned: If you admire someone, reach out and let them know. Odds are, that person will be (very) flattered.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
This summer, I’ve been tending to the four fruit trees in my yard. My two cherry trees produced a bumper crop this year, although I have no idea why. I’m trying to keep the birds away from the peach and apple trees. I also love to read, most any genre.
If you weren’t a judge, what would you be doing?
I’d choose something that would require a flex of the right brain. Maybe interior design?
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