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Monday, February 06, 2006

Ind. Courts - Several announcements about trial court judges; Hamilton County prosecutors want raise

From the Decatur Daily Democrat:

Adams Circuit Court Judge Fred A. Schurger, who has held that position since August 2, 1999, has announced that he will seek another six-year term, beginning with the Democratic primary election on May 2.

Judge Schurger, 59, was named to the post by former Indiana governor Frank O’Bannon, replacing Judge Lorren Caffee, who moved to an island in the Caribbean Sea to open a legal practice.

From the Rushville Republican:
Rush Superior Court Judge David Northam recently filed his declaration of candidacy for the office of Judge of the Circuit Court. * * *

Northam was elected Rush County Court Judge in 1996, and spearheaded efforts to convert County Court to Superior Court.

"Prosecutors want pay boost" is the headline to a story in the Noblesville Ledger:
NOBLESVILLE -- The county's deputy prosecutors told the county council Wednesday night that they need a pay raise to keep good people from leaving the office for higher-paying jobs. * * *

Prosecutor Sonia Leerkamp hopes the council approves the pay increase, because she has been losing deputy prosecutors.

"It was very brave of them to want to step up and say this a serious problem," she said. "They wanted the council to see the faces of the employees it has affected the most."

Leerkamp's position pays $110,500, but the state pays most of that. Hamilton County paid her $5,000 in 2005.

She said deputy prosecutors who work felonies in other Indiana counties make $55,000-$70,000 and ones who handle misdemeanor cases make $45,000-$50,000. By comparison, she said her entry-level misdemeanor positions pay $37,000-$40,000.

She promotes from within, saying it encourages deputy prosecutors to stay. She said the county council usually grants $1,500-$2,000 raises to those promoted.

Leerkamp noted some deputy prosecutors with more experience make more money, but those aren't the norm. In 2005 chief deputy prosecutor Jeffrey Wehmueller made $75,808 and deputy prosecutor Gary Lamey made $78,290. A second chief deputy prosecutor, Barbara Trathen, was paid $87,875 -- $5,000 from the county and the rest from the state.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 6, 2006 03:27 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts