Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Governor Holcomb taking applications to fill Alexa seat as Porter County judge

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By JEFF SCHULTZ

Porter County Superior Court 2 Judge William Alexa will retire this fall, a year before his current term ends.

It will be Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s charge to appoint a successor to fill the vacancy according to state law.

Holcomb’s office is currently taking applications for the position of judge through Thursday, Aug. 24, according to Holcomb’s Deputy Chief of Staff Jane Jankowski. The Governor’s General Counsel and staff will then vet the applications and conduct interviews with applicants to make their final recommendation to the governor, Jankowski told the Chesterton Tribune.

“Typically, the goal to complete this process is about 60 days from the closing of the application period. That can vary based on how many other vacancies that we may have elsewhere in the state at the same time,” she said.

The applications are available in a Microsoft Word document form on the Governor’s web site at http://www.in.gov/gov/2330.htm, located under judicial appointments in the Gubernatorial Appointments menu located on the left-hand column.

To be considered for judge of a superior court in Indiana, persons are required by law to be a resident of the county in which the court is located and must be admitted to practice law within the state, as specified in Indiana Code 33-29-1-3.

The criteria listed in the application asks interested candidates to tell their current law license status, the extent to which they practice law, any military and judicial/trial experience, any public offices held, any legal proceedings and a description of their physical health.

Jankowski said that political parties are not a condition for the appointment. Alexa is a Democrat while Holcomb is a Republican.

The Governor’s Office will be able to make known the identity of the applicants after the application process is over, Jankowski said.

Alexa talks about retirement

Alexa told the Tribune he plans his last day as judge to be Oct. 3. If the Governor’s Office does not decide an appointment by then, retired Superior Court 2 Judge Thomas Webber will fill in during the interim

A current resident of Union Twp., Alexa himself replaced Webber when he retired in December 2002. Alexa was serving as the Fifth District State Senator for Indiana when he was appointed by then-Governor Frank O’Bannon.

Alexa served 14 years as State Senator, beginning in 1988. A decade back, he worked as deputy and chief deputy for the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office from 1975 to 1978. At one time, he was president of the Valparaiso Park Board.

“I’m proud to say that I have worked in the three branches of government -- the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch,” said Alexa.

Alexa was reelected as the incumbent judge in 2006 and again in 2012.

At age 76, he said he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife Joyce, who recently retired from the Visiting Nurse Association of Porter County.

“It’s time. I want to give someone else an opportunity to do it today. But I have enjoyed my 30 years in public service. I’m going to miss the people a lot and my staff. It’s a fun place to come to work every day,” Alexa said.

 

 

Posted 8/9/2017

 
 
 
 

 

 

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