Judicial Appointments
Grant County
Governor Eric Holcomb appointed Bridget Foust to Grant County Superior Court 2. In addition to being a part-time public defender in Wabash and Grant counties, Foust was previously in private practice handling a variety of cases and served as a prosecutor in Allen and Grant counties. She has also been a Guardian Ad Litem in Grant County since 2015. Foust received a bachelor of science from Purdue University North Central and a law degree from Valparaiso Law School.
Marion County
Governor Holcomb appointed two new judges to the Marion Superior Court:
Stephen R. Creason most recently served as staff attorney with the Indiana Office of Judicial Administration. In 2022, he served as a magistrate in the Marion Circuit Court and prior to that held a number of positions with the Indiana Attorney General’s office, where he worked for 22 years. He earned a bachelor of arts from Wabash College and a law degree from McKinney School of Law.
Charles F. Miller was appointed to the Parole Board in 2013 and has served as vice chair since 2017. From 2018 to 2021, he served as pro bono legal counsel for a non-profit that assists older foster children with obtaining appropriate services after they turn 18. Miller spent over eight years as a deputy prosecutor in Marion County. He received a bachelor of arts from the University of Southern Indiana and a law degree from McKinney School of Law.
Owen County
Governor Holcomb appointed Donald VanDerMoere II to Owen County Circuit Court 1. Before his appointment, VanDerMoere served as the Owen County prosecutor. Prior to that, he was the chief deputy prosecutor in Putnam County. VanDerMoere resides in Owen County and serves on the Community Corrections Board. He holds a bachelor of arts from Indiana University and a law degree from Valparaiso Law School.
Ripley County
Governor Holcomb appointed Bradley Bergquist to the Batesville City Court. As a practicing attorney with the Wilson Law Firm in Batesville, Bergquist focused on assisting in the representation of community members, local businesses, school corporations, and the City of Batesville. He earned a bachelor of science from Indiana University and a law degree from Maurer School of Law.
Justice Goff Speaks at Indiana Sheriff’s Association Winter Conference
Justice Goff attended the Indiana Sheriff’s Association Winter Conference on February 22. He spoke to approximately 55 newly elected sheriffs on “Leading Change: Improving the Court and Community’s Response to Mental Health and Co-Occurring Disorders.”
Judge Carlisle Receives Sagamore of the Wabash Award
JLAP Volunteer Award Winners Recognized
Mark Fairchild Appointed as Executive Director of Children’s Commission
The Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana has appointed Mark Fairchild as its second Executive Director. He began in the role on March 6, 2023, filling the vacancy left by the Commission’s first Executive Director, Julie Whitman.
Mr. Fairchild has demonstrated his commitment to child and youth wellbeing through previous work at the Children’s Bureau, Damar, and the National Association of Social Workers Indiana Chapter. He previously served as the Director of Policy & Communication at Covering Kids & Families of Indiana and has been a member of the Commission’s Child Health and Safety Task Force for the past five years. Mr. Fairchild holds a Master of Social Work degree from The Ohio State University.