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Judge, Madison County Circuit Court 1
State of Indiana
Judge Angela Warner Sims began her legal career in the trenches, practicing at an Anderson law firm with a concentration in family and criminal law before serving for 13 years as a major felony public defender in Madison County. She was appointed to the bench in 2012 by then-Gov. Mitch Daniels. “I preside over all types of cases, with most of my time dedicated to major felony cases and our local treatment courts,” Sims said. That includes the Madison County Problem Solving Court, which she’s overseen since 2014 supervising individuals involved in and operations of the county’s drug court, mental health court and re-entry court. She’s also leading a team of criminal justice partners and other stakeholders to develop a new jail treatment model for offenders who have substance abuse and mental health issues. The initiative includes persuading local elected officials to expand the size of a new, soon-to-be-completed Madison County jail facility to add more space to house and provide services for inmates. “This was accomplished without any further burden on taxpayers,” Sims said. “The project also included reimagining, renovating and reforming our entire criminal justice system facilities, supervision and programs, with a vision toward rehabilitations, reducing recidivism and creating a safer community.”
How she got here: Sims got an undergraduate degree in sports marketing and management, with an eye toward pursuing a law degree so she could work in college athletic compliance or as legal counsel for a sports organization. She instead began her career in Anderson and Madison County, where family and criminal law were two areas that allowed one to quickly build a practice. “I never had a client that did not either have a family law or criminal law issue either themselves, or knew someone that did and would refer them,” she said. “When I started practicing law, my senior partners were eager to pass those types of cases along to me.”
Important traits: “A good judge is fair,” Sims said. “Fairness comes from being a good listener. Most people just want to be heard. Also, being able to balance justice and compassion when making decisions. A judge should never lose sight of the fact that decisions impact people’s lives.”
Mentors: Mike Lacey, her former law partner, taught her that relationship-building is key to any lawyer’s success. “Mike showed me by his own example that being skilled in the law was important, but it was also important to be able to empathize with and understand your client’s needs.”
Advice: Legal training opens up a variety of professional opportunities, not just in law.
Favorite de-stressors: running, puzzles and time to herself•
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