(LAKE CO.) – The Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission announced three nominees to fill a judicial vacancy. The Commission selected the following nominees:
- Magistrate Michael N. Pagano – Lake Superior Court
- Magistrate Stephen E. Scheele – Lake Circuit Court
- Magistrate Lisa A. Berdine – Lake Circuit Court
The three nominees will be submitted to Governor Eric Holcomb for consideration. He will name a superior court judge. Under state law, the Commission must submit to the governor a list of three candidates with written evaluations of each candidate. Upon receiving the list of nominees, Governor Holcomb has 60 days in which to make an appointment to the Lake Superior Court.
A vacancy on the Lake Superior Court occurred in April 2019 when Judge William E. Davis retired. In March, the Commission announced applications for the position would be accepted until April 8. On May 8, the Commission publicly interviewed eleven candidates, and then met to deliberate.
The Commission was established by the Indiana General Assembly in 1973 and is chaired by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Slaughter.
