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Saturday, January 14, 2006

Ind. Courts - News from Tippecanoe County courts

"Judge Morrissey to seek second 6-year term" is the headline to this story today in the Lafayette Journal & Courier. Some quotes:

Judge Michael Morrissey, the founding judge of Tippecanoe Superior Court 6, announced his intention to seek a second six-year term on the bench.

Morrissey, 51, a Republican from West Lafayette, was elected judge of the newly created court in 2000. He is the presiding judge of Tippecanoe Superior Courts 4, 5 and 6, the county's three high-volume courts, which handle the bulk of misdemeanor, minor felony and small claims cases.

"I've enjoyed this experience," Morrissey said. "I think myself and my staff are running the court effectively and efficiently, and I look forward to serving another six years."

In the five years since Superior Court 6 opened, it has handled 60,268 infraction, 8,906 misdemeanor and 1,491 felony filings.

Morrissey also is presiding judge of the county's adult drug court, serves on the advisory board of Tippecanoe County Community Corrections, and works closely with Court Services, the non-profit agency that provides court-ordered substance abuse evaluations. * * *

Superior Court 6 is the only judgeship up for election in Tippecanoe County this year.

In its "Quick Takes" editorial section today, the C&J writes about a new court program:
Like or not, we're an aging nation. And like it or not, the influx of court cases involving senior citizens incapable of making their own decisions -- and who have no one there to help -- is only going to increase.

That uncomfortable reality was met, at least in part, last week with the creation of the Adult Guardianship & Advocacy Program in Tippecanoe County. Initiated by Circuit Court Judge Don Daniel and financed by the Greater Lafayette Community Foundation, the program will match trained volunteers with ill or incapacitated seniors who need legal guardians. The temporary legal guardians will help sort through such thorny questions as hospital admissions and other health care needs.

Hats off to everyone involved for coming up with an innovative way to meet a need that is bound to grow.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 14, 2006 11:12 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts