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The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana gathered for a senior status celebration honoring District Judge Jane E. Magnus-Stinson on June 28.
Magnus-Stinson was first appointed to the Southern District court in 2007 as a magistrate judge. She held that position until 2010 when she was elevated to district judge.
Back in November, Magnus-Stinson was honored with a portrait unveiling at the Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse.
“Judge Magnus-Stinson’s service to the U.S. District Court has been remarkable,” Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt shared during an informal ceremony recognizing Magnus-Stinson. “During her term as chief judge, from Nov. 23, 2016, to March 20, 2021, she helped the court family face its collective grief over the sudden and unexpected back-to-back losses of two of its most beloved jurists – Magistrate Judge Denise K. LaRue and Senior Judge Larry J. McKinney. She acquired a new magistrate judge position, saw the court through several threats of financial shutdown, was able to acquire a social security law clerk position, and increased the size of the court’s staff attorneys’ office from five to its present 14 lawyers.”
Before the Southern District court, Magnus-Stinson was appointed and twice elected Judge of the Marion Superior Court, where she served from 1995 to 2007. During that time, she also served as Associate Presiding Judge from 2005 to 2006.
Prior to her time with the superior court, Magnus-Stinson was Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Evan Bayh from 1991 to 1995.
She also maintained a civil litigation practice at the firm of Lewis Wagner from 1983 through 1990.
Magnus-Stinson currently serves on the board of directors for the Indianapolis Bar Association. She has co-chaired the IndyBar Bar Leader series twice and is a past recipient of the prestigious Antoinette Dakin Leach Award.
“I am blessed to have had the opportunity to offer my dedicated service to the delivery of impartial justice in this important court,” Magnus-Stinson said. “Sometimes justice has been delivered for the party before me. Sometimes justice is delivered for the people a party may have harmed. Serving here has been the honor of my life. I am very pleased to be able to continue in that pursuit, but most pleased to be able to do it part-time. Thank you all for being part of this very special day.”
Magnus-Stinson assumed senior status on July 1 and will now carry a reduced caseload.
Her assumption of senior status leaves a vacancy on the Southern District bench. President Biden has not yet nominated her successor.
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