Are Protection Orders Effective in Reducing Intimate Partner Violence?
February 7, 2014 by Ruth Reichard
Editor’s Note: We begin a new feature focusing on Family Violence articles that will be written by the Indiana Supreme Court Division of State Court Administration’s newest Family Law Staff Attorney, Ruth Reichard.
Ruth has over twenty-seven years of combined litigation, judicial and teaching experience, as well as a passion for domestic violence issues. She served as [...]
One Million Tickets Filed Electronically to Odyssey Courts
February 7, 2014 by Mary L. DePrez
On August 14, 2013, the trial court technology section of the Indiana Supreme Court’s Division of State Court Administration (Division) hit a major milestone when it filed its one millionth traffic ticket electronically in the state’s Odyssey court case management system.
During 2008, the first traffic case was “e-filed” in Odyssey in Monroe County without the [...]
Judicial Technology Oversight Committee
February 7, 2014 by Mary L. DePrez
Established by Public Law 284-2013, the Judicial Technology Oversight Committee (JTOC) held its inaugural meeting on September 13th at the offices of the Division of State Court Administration, which is charged with staffing the Committee. A second meeting was held on December 10th in the Indiana Government Center South Building.
Indiana Chief Justice Brent Dickson [...]
Judge Bonfiglio Receives Community Partner of the Year Award
February 7, 2014 by Editor
Judge David C. Bonfiglio of Elkhart Superior Court 6 received the 2013 Community Partner of the Year Award from the Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) at their annual conference in Indianapolis on Sept. 30th.
Mark Fairchild, Executive Director, NASW Indiana Chapter outlined the criteria for the award. The award recipient must:
Make [...]
Lisa Plencner Receives Liberty Bell Award
February 7, 2014 by Editor
Lisa Plencner has been selected as the recipient of the Liberty Bell Award from the Indiana State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section. Founded in 1896, the Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA) is the single largest legal organization in the state. The award was presented at the State Bar’s annual meeting in French Lick on [...]
Court of Appeals Selects Nancy H. Vaidik as Chief Judge
February 7, 2014 by Editor
The Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana has selected Judge Nancy H. Vaidik to succeed Judge Margret G. Robb as the court’s next chief judge. Vaidik’s three-year term of office started Jan. 1, 2014.
Vaidik was appointed to the Court of Appeals in February 2000 and was retained by election in 2002 and 2012. She will [...]
New Adult Guardianship Attorney at State Court Administration
February 7, 2014 by Editor
Erica Costello joined the Division of State Court Administration as its new and first Adult Guardianship attorney. Before joining STAD, Erica served for eight years as the Director of the Adult Protective Services in northern Indiana. Her offices were with the St. Joseph Prosecuting Attorney but she served multiple counties and has already [...]
Hon. Mark E. Spitzer
February 7, 2014 by James F. Maguire
This is the twenty-seventh of our Court Times articles that highlight up close and personal a member of the Indiana Judiciary.
Grant County Circuit Court Judge Mark E. Spitzer is our judge featured in this issue. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from the IU McKinney School [...]
What Indiana Trial Judges Need to Know about the Affordable Care Act
February 7, 2014 by Brenda Rodeheffer
County contracts and programs govern health care benefits for trial court employees. However, trial court judges in their roles as employers should still know some key things about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-148 § 5505, or “Obamacare,” but most commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act [...]
State Commission on Improving the Status of Children
October 28, 2013 by Editor
The newly formed Commission on Improving the Status of Children held its inaugural meeting on August 21, 2013. Governor Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 125 into law effective July 1, 2013. The multi-branch statewide Commission is aimed at improving the status of children in Indiana. In cooperation with other stakeholders, Commission members [...]
