Four lawyers seeking two Clark judicial seats

Clark County

Discussion

December 29, 2007

By LARRY THOMAS The News and Tribune Sat Dec 29, 2007, 02:00 AM EST

Four candidates already have announced they will seek the judgeships in a pair of Clark County courts where judges are retiring at the end of next year.

Judge Cecile Blau had already started campaigning for a third six-year term in Clark Superior Court 2 when she surprised supporters in October by announcing that she was withdrawing her candidacy and would retire at the end of next year.

Clark Superior Court 3 Judge Steve Fleece, who has served on the bench since 1985, announced several years ago that he would not seek another term.

The old Clark County Court was created in 1976 and Fleece and Sam Gwin were the only judges to preside there. In 1995, the Indiana General Assembly elevated County Court to Superior Court 3.

Senior Judge Jerry Jacobi and attorneys Andrew Adams and Dan Moore all have announced that they are running for the seat Blau will vacate in Superior Court 2. Clarksville Town Court Judge Joe Weber is the only candidate to announce his intention to run for the seat Fleece is leaving.

The filing period for candidates begins Jan. 23 and concludes at noon Feb. 22.

Both retiring judges and all four candidates are Democrats.

Jacobi served as Superior Court 1 judge from 1995 to 2006 and has worked as a part-time, state-appointed senior judge this year. He admits that he once considered seeking the seat Fleece how holds, but that he decided to run for Superior Court 2 after Blau announced her retirement.

The court is a key player in the county’s criminal justice system because it handles the bulk of the felony drug arrests in Clark County, said Jacobi.

“So much of [other crimes] are being driven by drugs and alcohol,” he said.

Adams said even though he is roughly 20 years younger than Jacobi and Moore, he already has developed experience that would be helpful as a judge.

“I think I have a practical application of everyday practice in that court and other courts,” said Adams. “I bring new ideas and fresh ideas. It’s a judicial position I think I would really enjoy.”

Moore has had a long association with county government, serving primary as legal counsel for the Clark County Commissioners.

Moore said he would like to see family and other civil court cases moving more quickly. He added that the slow pace of criminal cases and a lack of creative sentencing is what led to the construction of the county’s $23 million jail and the expenditure of $3 million in public funds to house a number of inmates outside the county while the jail was under construction.

“I can think of 26 million reasons to vote for Dan Moore,” he said. “The cases need to be moving better.”

To date, Weber is the only candidate to publicly express interest in Superior Court 3, a position he first expressed interest in nearly three years ago, after Fleece said he would retire. Weber has served as judge in Clarksville Town Court since 1986.

Weber said Superior Court 3 — which is structured much the same as the old Clark County Court — is a natural progression for him.

“There’s still a large volume of D felonies and A misdemeanors,” he said. “But you have to be prepared to do much weightier things.”

Clark County Republican Party Chairman David Buskill and Democratic Party Chairman Rod Pate said they are unaware of other potential candidates for either judgeship, though Buskill admits that the GOP’s leadership is still reaching out to lawyers who might be interested in running.