A Hope-Filled Future On January 10, 2018, Chief Justice of Indiana Loretta Rush delivered her fourth address on the State of the Judiciary to a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly. Highlights of the speech follow. We also invite you to read the entire text, watch the video, and view photographs at: courts.in.gov/supreme/2570.htm The […]
Judges
Judicial Selection in Marion County
By Hon. Mark S. Massa, Indiana Supreme Court & Hon. Cale J. Bradford, Indiana Court Of Appeals A busy year awaits the newly created Marion County Judicial Selection Committee (MCJSC). Pursuant to 2017 legislation, the state’s largest county now joins Allen, Lake, and St. Joseph counties in using merit selection to identify candidates for gubernatorial appointment to […]
2017 Winter Workshop
By Julie C.S. McDonald, Indiana Office of Court Services Understanding Race: Beyond Black & White More than 200 judicial officers attended the day-long 2017 Winter Workshop called Understanding Race: Beyond Black & White. Speakers included nationally-known TED Talks presenter and former prosecutor Adam Foss, Indiana University professor of American Studies Rasul Mowatt, Indiana judges, and […]
Legacy of Vivian Bridgeforth Smith
Related article: 2017 Winter Workshop By Hon. Sheryl Lynch, Marion Circuit Court On October 12, 2017, my grandmother, Vivian Bridgeforth Smith, ascended into heaven at 101 years of age. She was born on May 19, 1916, in Alabama in the home of her grandparents, George and Jennie Andrews Bridgeforth. She was the daughter of Bascomb and […]
$6.3M in grants distributed to 83 counties
The Indiana Office of Court Services (IOCS) distributed more than $6.3 million in grants to 83 counties. IOCS houses several programs with specific judicial focuses meant to assist children, families, the elderly, and those with physical disabilities. The amount allocated for each program is determined by various methods, and is distributed from funds allocated by […]
Court family mourns loss
The Honorable Larry L. Ambler, Magistrate of the St. Joseph Circuit Court, died unexpectedly on February 14. He was 71 years old. A graduate of St. Joseph High School, University of Dayton, and the University of Notre Dame Law School, Magistrate Ambler was appointed magistrate in 2005. He also served as an attorney for the […]
Judicial appointments
Jamie M. Groves was appointed as Judge of Huntington County Circuit Court, succeeding Judge Thomas M. Hakes who retired at the end of 2017. Groves served as chief deputy prosecutor in Huntington County, where he worked for the past 20 years. Prior to attending law school, Groves worked as a juvenile court probation officer and […]
15 Honored for Outstanding Service to Legal Profession, the Public, and Civic Education
The Indiana Bar Foundation honored a group of servant-leaders at its December 10 recognition dinner at the Crowne Plaza/Union Station in downtown Indianapolis. The group of attorneys and judges included those dedicated to the delivery of pro bono legal services, civic education, and service to the legal profession and the public through community service. Whether […]
Judicial Selection & Disqualification
By Adrienne Meiring, Counsel, Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications Judges and judicial candidates necessarily must forge professional and social relationships with attorneys, business leaders, and public officials to become judges and to effectively improve the legal system. Questions sometimes emerge whether these contacts create an appearance of partiality when an attorney or party who supported […]
Honorable David N. Riggins
By James F. Maguire, Editor, Indiana Court Times This is the 44th Court Times article to highlight up close and personal a member of the Indiana Judiciary. Shelby Superior Court #2 Judge David Riggins is our judge featured in this issue. He graduated from Butler University in 1991, and obtained his law degree in 1994 […]
