Lisa Trigg
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
Daniel W. Kelly has been named as the new juvenile magistrate for the Vigo County courts.
Kelly was selected from among 18 applicants for the position, made vacant with the recent resignation of longtime judge Paulette Stagg.
Kelly told the Tribune-Star that he has always had an interest in the juvenile court, as demonstrated by more than 15 years work in that area.
“I know that that court has a lot of impact on local families, through CHINS [Children in Need of Services] cases and paternity cases and delinquency cases,” Kelly said. “And I hope to be able to affect that positively.”
Kelly is a graduate of Valparaiso School of Law and Purdue University. He maintains a private law practice in Terre Haute and serves as a Vigo County deputy prosecutor. From 1995 until this past July, he served as a juvenile prosecutor for the county.
“We had excellent applicants for the position of juvenile magistrate,” said Judge Christopher A. Newton of Vigo Superior Court 4. “Mr. Kelly’s experience in that court, his familiarity with juvenile law, along with his kind and courteous manner caused him to stand out. We believe he will make a difference in the lives of troubled or at-risk youth in Vigo County.”
Applications for the position were reviewed by the county’s six Superior Court judges, who made the selection.
The juvenile court handles not only status offenses such as truancy and delinquency cases – runaways, shoplifting and vandalism, for example – but also cases for children who have been removed from the home or needing child advocates. Paternity cases, custody and visitation issues for children of unwed parents are also handled through juvenile court.
Kelly said drug abuse in families is probably the biggest challenge for youth in the community.
“Drugs in families really cause a lot of problems,” Kelly said, “and they create, I think, a lot of both delinquency and CHINS cases. Trying to preserve families is a big challenge.”
Kelly has served as president of the Terre Haute Bar Association and as past director of the Indiana State Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division. He also hosted a local radio show, “Ask the Attorney,” from 1992-2000.
“One of the things I’d like to say is that the previous judge, Paulette Staggs, demonstrated a real commitment to youth that I would like to continue,” Kelly said. “And she was a really hard and dedicated worker, and I would like to copy some of those characteristics, while bringing my own personality and traits to the job.”
Kelly will assume the bench on Sept. 20. In the interim, Senior Judge Dexter Bolin is filling in as the juvenile court magistrate.
