The Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Judicial Administration has a new department, the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Dr. Gina Forrest is the Chief Diversity Officer and Ms. Princess Darnell is the DEI Coordinator. Both women are from Indiana originally and have a passion for education. The Office is designed to promote inclusivity in the judicial branch. Learn more about the initiative and the i … [Read more...] about Introducing the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Columns
The Vaccine and Its Impact on Court Operations
By Heather Falks, Employment Attorney & ADA Coordinator | Indiana Supreme Court We finally made it to 2021…and COVID-19 is still here. We all hoped it would feel more familiar—but not in the sense that we are getting used to stockpiling sanitizer and masks. Unfortunately, the concerns of 2020 have not fully dissipated, but the widespread availability of a vaccine gives us hope that our old normal is on the hor … [Read more...] about The Vaccine and Its Impact on Court Operations
The Honorable Judge Michael A. Christofeno
This is the fifty-sixth Court Times article highlighting a member of the Indiana Judiciary Judge Michael Christofeno was elected to the Elkhart Circuit Court in 2017. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 with bachelor’s degrees in pre-professional studies and philosophy and then earned his J.D. from the Valparaiso University School of Law in 1985. “I attended law school because I was very idealistic … [Read more...] about The Honorable Judge Michael A. Christofeno
Over 500 Law Enforcement Agencies Now Using Indiana’s E-ticket Software
By Mary DePrez, Executive Director | Office of Court Technology Beginning in 2008, the Indiana Office of Court Technology partnered with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and various law enforcement agencies to develop e-ticketing software for use by law enforcement agencies throughout the state. As of April 2021, around 15,000 officers in over 500 law enforcement agencies—including Indiana State Police—use the E … [Read more...] about Over 500 Law Enforcement Agencies Now Using Indiana’s E-ticket Software
The Issue of Masking: Non-COVID-19 Edition
By Senior Judge Earl G. Penrod | Indiana Judicial Outreach Liaison Introduction Since the arrival of the COVID-19, there has been a discussion about masking. Some advocate for a mask wearing mandate because science supports the efficacy of masks against the spread of the coronavirus, while others claim that a law mandating mask wearing is an unconstitutional infringement on individual liberties. The mask wearing … [Read more...] about The Issue of Masking: Non-COVID-19 Edition