On December 13, the Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission will conduct interviews of the applicants to fill a vacancy in Lake Superior Court. Judge Diane Ross Boswell passed away on October 19, 2021, creating a vacancy in Criminal Division Room 3. Judge Gina Jones was approved for transfer to that court, under local court rules, so the Commission will interview for her vacancy in Civil Division Room 6.

The following 12 applicants will be interviewed in the Commissioners/Council Courtroom located on the 3rd floor of the Administration Building at the Lake County Government Center, 2293 N. Main Street, Crown Point, IN 46307. All Commission proceedings, including deliberations, are open to the public. Due to social distancing, there will be limited in-person seating. Masks are required to enter the building regardless of vaccination status. The schedule is as follows:

Monday, December 13 (all times listed below are Central)
9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. – Sandra Moreno Garcia
9:20 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. – Andrew Kraemer
9:40 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Carly Brandenburg
Break
10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Jamise Perkins
10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. – Shontrai Irving
10:50 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. – Stacy Vasilak
Break
11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. – Magistrate Shaun T. Olsen
11:40 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Frank Martinez, III
12:00 p.m. – 12:20 p.m. – Daniel Burke, Jr.
Lunch
1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. – Gary Bell
1:50 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. – Rehana Adat-Lopez
2:10 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Magistrate Alexis Vazquez Dedelow
Break, Deliberations, and Voting

Members of the audience are asked to refrain from activities that might distract from the interview process. The following guidelines are in place:

• Only enter and exit between interviews
• Recording equipment will be set up between interviews (no mult box provided)
• Artificial lighting shall not be used
• Questioning of the applicants is reserved for the Commission
• Media/public may interview the applicants before/after the Commission’s interview outside the interview room at the applicant’s discretion

The Commission will accept public comment on the qualifications of any of the applicants. Comments must be submitted electronically to [email protected] no later than noon (Central) on Friday, December 10. Any submissions must include the sender's name, e-mail address, and a phone number to permit follow-up inquiries.

After all interviews have concluded, the Commission will deliberate. The Commission considers applicants' legal education, writings, reputation in the practice of law, and other pertinent information. The Commission vote is held publicly following deliberations.

According to Indiana law, the Commission is required to submit to the Governor “the five most highly qualified candidates from among all those eligible” for appointment when a vacancy arises. Details on the Commission, including membership, are online.