The Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana has selected Judge Nancy H. Vaidik to succeed Judge Margret G. Robb as the court’s next chief judge. Vaidik’s three-year term of office started Jan. 1, 2014.
Vaidik was appointed to the Court of Appeals in February 2000 and was retained by election in 2002 and 2012. She will be just the second woman to serve the court as chief judge, following Robb.
Vaidik is a native of Portage and lives in Valparaiso. She has broad experience in both trial and appellate courts and in legal classrooms. As an attorney, she tried more than 75 jury trials and currently serves as national program director for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. She was judge of Porter Superior Court from 1992-2000 and before that worked as a deputy and chief deputy prosecutor in Porter County. She also founded the Porter County Victims Assistance Unit, the Porter County Sexual Assault Recovery Project and the Valparaiso University Law School Mediation Clinic. Vaidik graduated from Valparaiso University and Valparaiso University Law School.
By law, the 15-member Court of Appeals elects a chief judge every three years. The chief judge represents the court at public and private events and ceremonies and serves as the court’s liaison to the legislative and executive branches.