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Monday, January 16, 2006

Ind. Courts - News from Noble, Cass counties [Updated]

Noble Superior Court. The KPC News, from DeKalb, LaGrange, Noble and Steuben Counties in NE Indiana, is reporting today:

ALBION — [Noble] Superior Court Judge Stephen Spindler will not seek re-election to the bench beyond his current term, he said this morning.
Unfortunately, the rest of the story is unavailable to non-subscribers. This, like the Bloomington paper noted earlier today, represents another short-sighted business model, IMHO.

[More] An alert reader has sent the ILB more from the above story, reported by Bob Braley:

ALBION — Superior Court Judge Stephen Spindler will not seek re-election to the bench beyond his current term, he said this morning. “My plan is to retire,” Spindler said.

This year marks the end of the term as Superior Court I judge that Spindler, 63, began in 2000. He has been Superior Court I judge since 1990.

“The next term will be six years,” he said. “I don’t want to work beyond 65.”

Spindler, a Democrat, could have run for re-election and retired mid-term, but chose not to do so. “To run for a six-year term when I don’t have any intention of completing it, I think, would be dishonorable,” he said.

If Spindler retired mid-term, a judge would be appointed to his bench for the rest of his term, leaving the people with no say in an election for that post for four years. He feels that isn’t right when he knows his departure would be coming, so he decided to retire now.

The procedure for Superior Court differs from that for Circuit Court, where a new judge would be elected at the next general election, Spindler said.

Ligonier attorneys Steve Hagen and Robert Kirsch will be vying for Spinder’s judgeship in the May Republican primary.

Spindler was himself appointed to the bench effective Jan. 3, 1990, and was elected in 1994 and 2000.

Asked about his plans after retirement, Spindler answered, “I hope to be a senior judge.” Senior judges are retired judges who fill in during vacations or illnesses of other judges. * * *

“Judge Spindler made an enormous impact on Noble County by presiding over the most serious of felonies, including A felony and murder cases,” said Noble County Prosecutor Steven Clouse.

“The manner in which he approached this task will long be noted in the judicial community,” Clouse said.

“It truly has been a pleasure being able to appear before Judge Spindler,” Noble County chief public defender James Abbs said this morning.

Abbs said Spindler is a very fair judge and a very intelligent man who puts in a lot of time and diligence in his decisions. “They’re well thought out,” Abbs said.

“I have practiced in four states and in federal court and I’ve been before a lot of judges,” Abbs said. He likes a judge who follows the rules and laws of the court closely. “He’s one of those judges who does it that way,” Abbs said. “It makes our work all so much easier from that standpoint.”

Spindler has worked especially hard to find dispositions in juvenile cases that can help young people change their lives and become productive citizens, Abbs said.

“He puts in extra work, extra time,” Abbs said. “He follows these cases closely and they’re very important to him.”

Cass Circuit Court. WSAL, Logansport, is reporting:
LOGANSPORT - There's another candidate for Cass Circuit Court judge. Former judge Robert L. Justice will enter the ring to run for the seat being vacated by Judge Julian Ridlen. Justice is a lifelong resident of Clinton Township, and has practiced law in Logansport since 1972. He has served as Logansport City Judge in 1978 and 79, and as Circuit Court judge from 1982 to 1988.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 16, 2006 01:57 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts