Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced he has selected Lake County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth F. Tavitas as the next member of the Indiana Court of Appeals. Tavitas will replace Judge Michael Barnes, who retired from the Indiana Court of Appeals in June after 18 years.
“Judge Tavitas is deserving and the right choice for the Indiana Court of Appeals,†Gov. Holcomb said. “She has a deep understanding of our Constitutions, laws and rules, and she applies them fairly and equitably. When faced with complex and challenging cases, she is tenacious, perseveres and gets the job done. Judge Tavitas is well known for her quiet strength, resolve and willingness to roll up her sleeves and create workable solutions with the resources she has. It is my great honor to appoint her to our state’s second highest court.â€
Tavitas was appointed to the Lake County Superior Court in 2006 by Gov. Mitch Daniels. Her docket consists primarily of domestic relations and protection order cases, but she is also experienced in civil commercial cases and tort law jury trials.
“I’m humbled by the opportunity to serve the State of Indiana on the Court of Appeals,†Judge Tavitas said. “It is an honor to succeed Judge Barnes, a respected, lifetime public servant. I am grateful for Governor Holcomb’s confidence in me, and I am looking forward to working with all of my future colleagues on the appellate court.â€
St. Joseph County Superior Court Judge Steven Hostetler and Fort Wayne attorney David Van Gilder were the other two finalists.
Tavitas, 57, has devoted much of her judicial career to working with families in crisis.
As a referee for the Lake County Superior Court’s Juvenile Division from 1998 to 2006, Tavitas presided over approximately 1,200 termination of parental rights cases—as well as numerous adoptions, guardianship and child-in-need-of-services (CHINS) cases. Tavitas began her legal career as a Lake County deputy prosecutor in 1990 and has also been a public defender, federal law clerk, adult probation officer and a private practitioner.
Beyond her extensive trial experience, Judge Tavitas has been active in her community in many ways. Among other activities, she is the chair of the advisory board of the Pro Se Legal Clinic of Lake County, a board member and former chair of NWI Volunteer Lawyers, Inc., a member of the Notre Dame Law School Association Board, and a member of the Indiana Bar Foundation. She also taught music and art appreciation for the School City of Hammond and served as a judge for “We the People†competitions in her community.
Tavitas was born in South Bend and earned both her bachelor’s degree and law degree at the University of Notre Dame.
A date for Judge Tavita’s robing ceremony will be determined by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
