Judicial appointments - The Indiana Lawyer

Stafford: Crooked Lake, St. Joe judicial bill merits a veto

April 14, 2021 | Dave Stafford

A parade of attorneys from Lake and St. Joe counties testified against House Bill 1453. Most spoke in disbelief that this was happening without any prior consideration. They explained why they had taken their time and traveled all the way down to Indianapolis, some twice, to tell lawmakers why this is a bad idea and why the current judicial nominating system works. It was enough to give any reasonable person pause. But this is the Indiana Legislature we’re talking about.

Making history: Pratt first African American chief judge of Southern District

April 14, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

New Southern District of Indiana Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt Pratt is focused on steps to reopen courthouses to the public as the country hopes to be quelling the COVID-19 virus and advocating in Congress for a new judgeship to help handle the court’s excessive caseload.

Steele appointed to St. Joe bench after lawsuit delayed selection process

April 8, 2021 | IL Staff

The South Bend city attorney has been selected to fill a vacancy on the St. Joseph Superior Court. Stephanie Steele will fill the seat vacated by now-Senior Judge Jane Woodward Miller, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Wednesday.

Finalists to succeed St. Joseph Judge Reagan named after 2 members disqualified

April 6, 2021 | Olivia Covington

Four magistrates and one lawyer have been named as finalists to fill an upcoming vacancy on the St. Joseph Superior Court. The finalists were announced by a judicial selection panel that was reduced to five members after two were disqualified.

Amid accusations, Lake, St. Joseph judicial nominating bill passes Senate

April 6, 2021 | Dave Stafford

The Indiana Senate approved a bill reducing local attorney input into who serves on the judicial nominating commissions for Lake and St. Joseph counties Monday despite objections from Democratic senators, one of whom insinuated the changes were triggered by anonymous complaints from candidates who had lost out on judge appointments.

Garcia sworn in as Indiana Southern District magistrate judge

April 5, 2021 | IL Staff

The first Hispanic judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has officially taken his seat on the bench.

Open federal judiciary seats bring calls to focus on the process

March 31, 2021 | Marilyn Odendahl

As he marked the two-month anniversary of his presidency, Joe Biden had not nominated anyone to either the federal bench or a U.S. Attorney’s Office, which distinguished him from his two most recent predecessors. One retired member of Indiana’s judiciary, however, is calling attention to the worrisome problem that beyond open positions, the state has no clearly defined process for identifying qualified Hoosiers to fill the vacancies.

Benjamin: My dad helped keep politics out of Lake County judicial selection

March 31, 2021

A half-century ago two Indiana legislators, a Democrat from Gary and a Republican from Kokomo, set forth to improve our courts. The Democrat was my father, Adam Benjamin Jr. The Republican was Elwood “Bud” Hillis. The Lake Superior Court selects judges on merit because of their efforts.

Biden announces diverse first slate of judicial nominees, including 7th Circuit nomination

March 30, 2021 | IL Staff and Associated Press

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced his intent to nominate a “trailblazing slate” of judicial nominees, a field that includes Black, Muslim American and Asian American Pacific Islander candidates for federal courts and for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

McGrath appointed to Kosciusko Superior Court

March 29, 2021 | IL Staff

Warsaw solo practitioner Karin McGrath has been appointed as Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge, Gov. Eric Holcomb’s office announced today. She will succeed Judge David Cates who died in December.

Senate panel narrowly advances Lake, St. Joe judicial nominating bill

March 24, 2021 | Dave Stafford

A bill that would change how superior court judges are nominated in Lake and St. Joseph counties was uniformly opposed by lawyers and judges from those counties in a Senate hearing Wednesday but narrowly advanced on a 5-4 vote.

Lake, St. Joseph judicial selection bill set for hearing Wednesday

March 23, 2021 | IL Staff

Legislation that has drawn fire from bar associations and members of the legal community who say proposed changes to judicial appointments would politicize the trial court benches in Lake and St. Joseph counties will be heard Wednesday by a Senate committee.

Breyer mum as some liberals urge him to quit Supreme Court

March 18, 2021 | Associated Press

With spring comes the start of the period in which many justices have announced their retirement from the United States Supreme Court. Some progressives say it is time for Justice Stephen Breyer to go, without delay. Other liberal voices have said Breyer, the oldest justice, should retire when the court finishes its work for the term, usually by early summer.

Southern Indiana District Court on list for more judges

March 17, 2021 | IL Staff

The Judicial Conference of the United States is asking Congress to create 79 new judgeships in federal courts across the country, including adding two new permanent judges in the Southern Indiana District Court.

Letter to the editor: Proposed changes to merit selection may prove judicious

March 17, 2021

Your publication recently printed an article discussing the Indiana State Bar Association’s objections to Indiana Senate Joint Resolution 16. The bar association’s complaint about SJR 16, and the slant of the article, is that the resolution proposes to “strip” Hoosier voters of the power to retain Indiana appellate court judges and Supreme Court justices. I do not believe that complaint is well-founded.

3 finalists named for Allen County judicial position

March 15, 2021 | IL Staff

The Allen Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission announced Monday the three judicial officers are finalists to fill an upcoming vacancy due to Judge Charles F. Pratt’s pending retirement.

Barrett’s 1st opinion breaks informal SCOTUS precedent

March 5, 2021 | Associated Press

When Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered her first Supreme Court majority opinion Thursday, ruling against an environmental group that had sought access to government records, it strayed from informal precedent that new justices’ first opinions be unanimous.

McDermott: Lake, St. Joseph judiciary bill raises questions

March 3, 2021 | Marissa McDermott

The undeniable truth is that there is a long legislative history in this nation of powerful majorities diminishing and silencing the voices of minorities. While I have no reason to believe the motive of the current judicial selection legislation for Lake and St. Joseph counties is racial, this law will undoubtedly have a disproportionally negative effect on citizens who happen to be racial minorities.

St. Joseph JNC accepting new applications as lawsuit, legislation persist

March 1, 2021 | IL Staff

As litigation and legislation that could change the structure of judicial selection in St. Joseph County proceeds, the St. Joseph County Judicial Nominating Commission is accepting applications to fill a vacancy that will occur in the spring.

Applications open for Indiana Court of Appeals spot

February 26, 2021 | IL Staff

Lawyers and judges interested in applying for an upcoming vacancy on the Indiana Court of Appeals bench may now do so, the Indiana Supreme Court announced Friday.

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