This is the fifty-fourth Court Times article highlighting a member of the Indiana Judiciary Judge Geoffrey A. Gaither is a 2020 appointment to the Marion County Superior Court bench. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and Design. In 1985, he earned his J.D. from Howard […]
Columns
Racial Justice and Indiana’s Children in Court
By Julie Whitman, Executive Director | Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana Children in the court system—whether through juvenile justice or child welfare—must be treated equitably. Children, individuals, and families of color have at times been treated more harshly and punished more severely than their white counterparts. It is a fact, and it […]
Trial Court Video Streaming Initiative
By Mary DePrez, Executive Director | Office of Court Technology Article 1 of the Indiana Constitution proclaims that “all courts shall be open,” that “in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall have the right to a public trial” and that victims of crime have the right to be “present during public hearings.” How does a court […]
The Future is Now: Roadside Drug Tests in Indiana
By Earl G. Penrod, Senior Judge | Indiana Judicial Outreach Liaison Scenario: An Officer pulls over a vehicle for traveling 65 in a 55 mile per hour zone. The officer suspects the driver is impaired and administers field sobriety tests and a PBT, which results in a reading of .00. The officer then tells the […]
Judicial appointments, Isabella Award winner, Drug Court receives grant funds
Leanna Weissman appointed to Court of Appeals Leanna K. Weissmann was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Eric Holcomb and began her service on September 14, 2020, succeeding Judge John G. Baker after his summer retirement. Judge Weissmann graduated from Indiana University with a dual B.A. in journalism and English. She also earned […]
The Lasting Benefit of the Pandemic: Remote Work
By Heather R. Falks, Employment Attorney – ADA Coordinator | Indiana Supreme Court Change is inevitable, and it is our choice whether we resist change or evolve with it. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes to nearly all aspects of daily life—including the way we work. Employees have set up offices in their living rooms. […]
The Honorable Kimberly S. Dowling
By the Office of Communication, Education & Outreach This is the fifty-third Court Times article highlighting a member of the Indiana Judiciary. Kimberly Dowling is the Judge in Delaware Circuit Court #2. She graduated from the University of Denver in 1981 and received her law degree from the University of Colorado in 1984. Following her […]
Senior Judge Portal: Leveraging and Connecting with Judicial Experience
By Mary L. DePrez, Executive Director | Indiana Office of Court Technology The Indiana Courts Information Technology Extranet is a platform for secure data-sharing applications hosted by the Supreme Court. The newest INcite application—the Senior Judge Portal—was released in early June of this year. One of the goals of this application is to connect senior […]
Drunk Driving: It All Begins with the Stop!
By The Honorable Earl G. Penrod, Senior Judge | Indiana Judicial Outreach Liaison, IOCS Education Division Scenario: A police officer sees a vehicle pass by, but doesn’t see the driver. The officer doesn’t observe any traffic or improper driving violations, but runs the license plate and learns the registered owner has a suspended operator’s license. […]
JAG commission, judges pass, Tobias fellow
Judge Doug Fahl receives JAG commission Whitley County Judge and Lieutenant Colonel Doug Fahl will assume a new military judge role created by the Indiana National Guard beginning September 1, 2020, after he completed the 63rd Military Judge Course offered by The Judge Advocate General’s School on June 19. Judge Fahl will continue to serve […]
The Honorable Cristal Brisco
By James F. Maguire, Editor | Indiana Court Times This is the fifty-second of our Court Times articles that highlight up close and personal a member of the Indiana Judiciary. Cristal Brisco is a Magistrate for the St. Joseph Circuit Court, sitting in Mishawaka, Indiana. Before joining the judiciary in July 2018, Brisco served as General […]
Money, Power & Respect: A Candidate’s Guide to Judicial Campaigns
Marcus Alan McGhee, Staff Attorney | Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications Judges and judicial candidates must, to the greatest extent possible, be free and appear to be free from political influence and partisan interests. See Ind. Code of Jud. Cond., Canon 4, General Consideration. This can be an arduous task as judicial candidates merge into […]
Kinship Caregivers
When grandparents stand in the gap When parents become unavailable to care for their children—whether through addiction, incarceration, or some other tragic circumstance—very often the children’s grandparents or other relatives absorb the children into their households. This may happen formally through CHINS, guardianship, or custody proceedings, but it often happens informally, with no court involvement […]
Appointments, 2020 Census, Long-Time Staff
Judge Cale Bradford Elected as Chief Judge The judges of the Indiana Court of Appeals have elected Judge Cale Bradford as its Chief Judge. He succeeds Judge Nancy Vaidik, who served in that capacity for six years. His term began on January 1. Judge Bradford also serves as Vice Chairman of the Marion County Judicial […]
Giving Kids the Winning Edge: 23rd Annual GAL/CASA Conference
By Leslie Dunn, State Director of GAL/CASA | Office of Court Services The 23rd Annual GAL/CASA conference “Giving Kids the Winning Edge” was recently held in French Lick. Nearly 700 GAL/CASA program staff and volunteers attended the event. Former NFL player and author, Shawn Harper, was the keynote speaker. He shared his story of overcoming […]
