Justice Frank Sullivan Receives Sagamore of the Wabash Award
Governor Mitch Daniels presented retired Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan with the Sagamore of the Wabash award on July 30th.
The presentation was a surprise to Justice Sullivan and was made in the Governor’s office after the two men spoke privately.
Those in attendance for the presentation included Chief Justice Dickson, Justice Rucker, Justice David, and Justice Massa. Also present were Justice Sullivan’s assistant, Michele Straub; his two law clerks, Emily Staten and Aaron Craft; State Court Administration Executive Director, Lilia Judson; State Court Administration Director of Trial Court Technology, Mary DePrez; Chief Justice Dickson’s assistant, Shelley Ayer, and his law clerks, Patrick Jessup and Justin McAdam; and Deputy Supreme Court Administrator, Greta Scodro.
Superior Court Judge John F. Surbeck, Jr., Named Rehnquist Award Recipient
Allen County Superior Court Criminal Division Judge John F. Surbeck Jr., has been named recipient of the 2012 William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence from the National Center for State Courts. One of the most prestigious judicial honors in the country, the Rehnquist Award is presented annually to a state court judge who exemplifies the highest level of judicial excellence, integrity, fairness, and professional ethics. Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. will present the award to Judge Surbeck during a ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on November 15.
Two Trial Judges Named Distinguished Barristers by the Indiana Lawyer
The Honorable Thomas Felts (Allen Circuit Court) and the Honorable Heather Welch (Marion Superior Court) were honored for their professional achievement, involvement in bar and professional organizations, support of social and civic community-based programs, pro bono work, and mentoring. The Indiana Lawyer presented its 2012 Leadership in Law Awards at the Columbia Club in downtown Indianapolis on May 2, 2012. Their profiles are available online by visiting the Indiana Lawyer website at www.theindianalawyer.com/leadership-in-law.
New Leadership at Indiana Pro Bono Commission
The Honorable Martha B. Wentworth (Indiana Tax Court) will serve as Chair of the Indiana Pro Bono Commission, and the Honorable David Avery (Allen Superior Court) will serve as Vice-Chair; both were appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court. The Indiana Pro Bono Commission is a project of the Indiana Bar Foundation and consists of 21 members appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Bar Foundation. The Commission is administered by an executive director. These individuals were appointed pursuant to Indiana Rule of Professional Conduct 6.6 and together, they have the responsibility of allocating IOLTA funds to the 12 District Pro Bono Committees in Indiana. To date, the Indiana Pro Bono Commission has provided over $9.5 million to the Indiana Pro Bono District Committees.
State Court Administration Welcomes New Employees
Tracy Beechy-Nufer joined the Division on August 5 as Director of Trial Court Management. She replaces Jim Walker, who became chief deputy prosecuting attorney for Clay County. Tracy is particularly well suited for her new position with over 10 years experience in law and management. As the Managing Attorney for Indiana Legal Services, Fort Wayne Division, Tracy worked in 10 northeast counties, both as practicing lawyer and as supervisor of a staff of seven. In her last year with ILS, Tracy cut back her hours as managing attorney in order to save the organization money. She took a part-time position as a public defender in Steuben County as well as opening a private office. She earned a BS degree from Purdue University in 1994 in Organizational Leadership and Supervision. She graduated in 2000 from the Thomas Cooley Law School in Michigan and was admitted to the Indiana Bar in October 2000. We are sure you will find that Tracy has superb administrative skills, a great deal of trial court experience, a customer service attitude, and a bright, engaging style.
Wendy Kihiu joined the Division in August as a Financial Analyst, replacing Jan Smith, who took a position with the Indiana Judicial Center. Under Tom Carusillo’s leadership, Wendy will be responsible for working with the $100 million in the various accounts managed by the Division, among them being the judicial and prosecuting attorneys payrolls, the Public Defender Fund and the GAL/CASA fund. Wendy most recently worked as a Financial Analyst for FSSA, where she became proficient in the complex PeopleSoft Financial system used by state government. She has accounting degrees from the Kenya School of Professional Studies, Johnson Community College and Indiana University, where she earned a dual degree in accounting and finance.