No vote yet on St. Joe judges bill
An Indiana Senate committee debated this morning a bill that would make it so St. Joseph Superior judges are elected rather than chosen by merit selection and later retained by voters.
St. Joseph County
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Town court judge publicly admonished
The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications issued a public admonition of the Walkerton Town Court judge today for employing his wife as court clerk for more than 10 years and for participating in an ex parte conversation with a defendant about her traffic infractions.
Judge wins in mandate action
A special judge has ruled in favor of St. Joseph Probate Judge Peter Nemeth, who'd issued a judicial mandate earlier this year directing county officials to transfer money for pay raises and improvements for the juvenile justice center.
Governor likely to soon get St. Joe judges bill
Gov. Mitch Daniels will likely receive legislation today aimed primarily at scrapping judicial merit selection in St. Joseph County and creating a new Indiana Court of Appeals panel starting 2011.
Judicial merit-selection override a possibility
The state's top executive has rejected the idea of scrapping merit selection in St. Joseph County, but it remains unclear whether lawmakers will attempt to override that veto during a special session.
Senate gets St. Joe judges bill, with twist
The full Indiana Senate will consider in the next week whether St. Joseph Superior judges should be elected or merit-selected and retained by voters. A Senate committee wants the full legislative body to consider that issue, but with a twist: An amendment has been attached to the controversial House Bill 1491.
Justices affirm 1989 murder convictions
The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld four murder convictions against a Lakeville man who as a teenager killed his family 20 years ago.
Governor gets judicial merit-selection bill
Gov. Mitch Daniels received today legislation that, if signed, would toss out merit selection and retention of St. Joseph Superior judges and also create a new three-judge panel for the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Court: No rehearing based on another decision
The Indiana Tax Court granted a petition for rehearing to clarify its ruling that a Hamilton County property qualified for a charitable/religious exemption. The Tax Court also denied rehearing a St. Joseph County case that claimed the decision in that case should be reconsidered based on the original ruling in the Hamilton County case.
St. Joseph Bar evaluates judges
The St. Joseph County Bar Association has released the results of its 2009 survey evaluating Superior Court judges. This is the second time the bar association has completed and published this survey.
Investiture for St. Joseph judge Friday
Recently appointed St. Joseph Superior Judge Margot F. Reagan will officially take the bench Dec. 5 with a 4 p.m. robing ceremony in the Superior Court courtroom in the St. Joseph County Courthouse.
Candidates interviewed for St. Joseph judgeship
he St. Joseph Superior Court Judicial Nominating Committee interviewed 15 candidates today to fill a vacancy on St. Joseph Superior Court. The vacancy will be created when Judge William T. Means retires at the end of this month.
Judicial nominees submitted to governor
The St. Joseph Superior Court Judicial Nomination Commission submitted five names today to Gov. Mitch Daniels to fill an upcoming vacancy after St. Joseph Superior Judge William T. Means retires Sept. 30.
New St. Joseph Superior judge appointed
Gov. Mitch Daniels has appointed South Bend attorney Margot Fisher Reagan to St. Joseph Superior Court to replace the retired Judge William T. Means.
Attorneys needed for mock trial competition
Attorneys are needed to serve as coaches for mock trial teams at Marian High School in Mishawaka.
St. Joseph Bar releases judicial evaluation
St. Joseph County Bar Association members have evaluated the five St. Joseph Superior judges up for retention this year – Judges Roland W. Chamblee Jr., David C. Chapleau, Jerome Frese, Jenny Pitts Manier, John M. Marnocha, Jane Woodward Miller, and Michael P. Scopelitis. All of the judges received a combined average score of either average/acceptable or above average.