MARSHALL COUNTY — The Honorable Marshall Circuit Court Judge Janette E. Surrisi made history Monday, September 9, 2024 during her Investiture Ceremony as the first female Judge in Marshall County in 189 years of its establishment.
Attorney and friend Jesse Bob Harper officiated as Honorary Bailiff.
Reverend Dr. Sam Boys, Pastor and Director of Spiritual Life at Culver Academies led the Invocation.
County Council Member and Liaison to the Judiciary Nicole Cox led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Honorable Matthew E. Sarber, Marshall Superior Court No. 3 Judge, welcomed everyone and introduced distinguished guests Honorable Mark S. Massa, Indiana Supreme Court Justice, Judge Robert O. Bowen, Marshall Superior Court No. 1, Judge Dean A. Colvin, Marshall Superior Court No. 2, Clerk of Courts Jenny Bennitt, Indiana State Representative Jack Jordan, Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney E. Nelson Chipman, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tami Napier, Sheriff Matthew Hassel, Putnam County Prosecuting Attorney Timothy L. Buckwalter, President of Marshall County Board of Commissioners Stan Klotz, President of Marshall County Council Jesse Bohannon, Members of the Marshall County Council Tim Harman, Jim Masterson, Nicole Cox, Deb Johnson, Adam Faulstich, Marshall County Recorder Janet Howard, City of Plymouth Mayor Robert Listenberger, City of Plymouth Clerk-Treasurer Lynn Gorski, Marshall County Bar Association President and Deputy Prosecutor Nicholas Langowski, and Griffin Nate, District Director of the Office of Representative Rudy Yakym.
Harper reminisced about Judge Surrisi in law school when she shared that she wanted to set new precedent in the State of Indiana and become a Judge. She accomplished both goals.
Langowski read the Resolution of the American Bar Association in Recognition of Judge Surrisi’s Judicial Appointment.
The Honorable Mark S. Massa, Indiana Supreme Court Justice, gave remarks and officiated the Administration of Oath while Judge Surrisi’s daughter Abigail held the Bible for her mother. “I, Janette E. Surrisi, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Indiana and that I will faithfully, impartially and diligently discharge the duties as Judge of the Marshall Circuit Court according to law and to the best of my ability. So help me God.” Her oath was followed by a standing ovation.
DeWayne Doty and Joy Otwell, Judge Surrisi’s brother and sister, officiated the Judicial Robing. DeWayne presented the Judicial Robe to Joy, Joy wrapped the Judicial Robe around their sister, now Judge Surrisi, followed by enthusiastic applause.
During her remarks Judge Surrisi reflected on her ancestry and her legacy.
She thanked her husband Sean for his support throughout the years. “He can do anything and he is my everything.”
She thanked her daughter Abigail for being present and will never forget her reaction to the wall of photographs in the courtroom. “You walked in here and you looked up at that wall back there and you said – ‘Man, man, man, man, man – MOM!”
She noted the closeness of her relationship to her brother DeWayne and her sister Joy.
After giving thanks she stated, “Let’s just jump in to it now. First woman Judge in 189 years of all of Marshall County’s existence. It’s hard for me to believe that I’m here. But guess what? In three short months we are going to have another woman Judge. That makes things even more historic and more special – Tami Napier please stand up.”
“Tami is the next Judge of Marshall Superior Court No. 1 and I believe Tami and I broke the glass ceiling here in Marshall County together. I’ll be honored to be working with you, Tami.”
“So, how is it that Marshall County has reached this milestone today? I think the answer comes in the words of wisdom from the first woman to become a United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. She says, ‘We don’t accomplish anything in the world alone. Whatever happens is the result of a whole tapestry of one’s life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something.”
She shared that the celebration of Marshall County’s first woman Judge was made possible because of many people in the room and several who supported Judge Surrisi through her life noting her Great Grandmother Anna Sofia Anderson. “I never knew her but I knew her story. Her story is told over and over in my family. Anna was born in Sweden in 1867. By the time she was 16 years old her parents had promised her to marry a much older man. Instead of marrying that older man, she saved her money, faked illness while her family went to church, gathered a few possessions, and then got on a boat headed for Ellis Island. Here in America she met a Swedish man near her age and they married. Her fortitude and strong will put her where she wanted to be. Her story became an honored part of our family’s tapestry.”
“Some of you may have noticed that very tattered Bible that my daughter held while I was just sworn in. That is Grandma Anna Sophia Anderson’s Bible. It is the same Swedish Bible that she carried with her across the Atlantic in 1883 as she dreamed of America. I can’t imagine that she ever thought that that Bible would be held in the hands of her Great Great Granddaughter while her Great Granddaughter was sworn in to become a Judge.”
Judge Surrisi continued, “I am just one of many strong women in my family and here’s to the strong women in our family in the making and to the strong women of Marshall County that are yet to come. You can do whatever you set your mind to. As Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush says – little girls need to see women in robes so that they can believe that they can be women in robes one day too.” She shared that soon a Culver Girls Scouts Troop will visit her courtroom for a grand tour when she will tell them that they can be lawyers and Judges too.
“You are all a part of this moment, men and women. All of you are part of what it takes to make up someone else or something else. Understanding what we do shapes so many stories for others.” With that Judge Surrisi shared two calls of action with guests – to encourage individuals to become lawyers to meet the lawyer shortage in Marshall County and to consider becoming a volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to become a voice for vulnerable children. “These advocates volunteer to be the voices of our most vulnerable citizens – the abused and neglected children of Marshall County. They are the eyes and the ears for the Court and they are the help that the children need. I believe that the number of children in our legal system is going to go up. So if you really want to be part of the fabric of someone else’s life – volunteer to be the voice for these kids.”
Judge Surrisi concluded, “With that I thank you for being here for me. I appreciate you and this position you have entrusted to me. God bless.”
Rev. Dr. Boys gave the Benediction. Immediately following the ceremony, a reception followed in the atrium.
