Education: 1991, J.D., Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis; 1986,A.B., Wabash College

Judicial Experience: This is my first candidacy for any elected office.  I have worked as an attorney or law clerk for federal, state, and local officials.  In addition, I have worked for the executive, legislative and judiciary.  My greatest experience, however, lies in my private practice work: representing criminal and family law clients, handling corporate utility issues, and generally serving others.  During my tenure as an attorney, fortunately, I also presided over hundreds of trials and hearings as a judge pro-tem not only in various small claims, misdemeanor, and protective order courts but also on bench trials and jury trials in Marion County Superior D felony and Major Felony courts.  In addition, I have been fortunate enough to obtain some unique pro-tem experiences sitting on, and resolving, numerous summary judgment motion hearings in Marion Superior Court, Civil Division.

Other Legal Involvement:  Member in good standing of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Indianapolis Bar Association.  Member, Improvements in the Judiciary Committee of Indiana State Bar Association; Member, Criminal Justice Sections of both Associations; Past member, Family Law Sections of both associations; Past member, General and Solo Practice Sections and Government Sections.  Volunteer judge for the Client Counseling Competition at the Indiana School of Law-Indianapolis.  Former Law Clerk to Indiana Appellate Judge, Linda Chezem; former Marion County Deputy Prosecutor; Former Contract Public Defender in Marion and Shelby Counties.  Solo Practitioner for eight plus years, including Contract Counsel to the Indiana House of Representatives. Currently, President and General Counsel of the Indiana Cable Telecommunications Association. 

Personal Statement:   "Aside from the breadth, depth, and scope of legal experiences I possess, I have benefited from humble beginnings.  I was blessed in my young professional life to have worked for leaders such as former Governor Robert Orr, Indianapolis mayors Bill Hudnut and Steve Goldsmith, Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Linda Chezem, U.S. Attorney Deborah Daniels, Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman, and Chief Public Defender Dave Cook. Perhaps equally  important, however was my experiences with men like Joe White who taught me what hard work meant when he took me to Brown County in the summers to cut heavy hickory wood for the Bar-B-Q Heavens in Indianapolis.  Working for men like Mike Mattick, who ran all the Sizler Steakhouses on the eastside, forced me to understand that my position as dishwasher actually mattered in the overall quality of the operation, as did the supervisors on the Housekeeping Staff at Community Hospital East, who made sure I focused on the smallest details while buffing floors int he basement of the hospital.  Those experiences, and others, set the precedent for building my own law practice from scratch.  My career has also allowed me to be a part of my community:  class reunions, neighborhood associations, precinct committeeman, Board Member of Child Advocates, and member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church.  I married a wonderful woman, Tessa, who shares in my goal to serve the citizens of Marion County as judge for the Marion Superior Court system.  We are blssed to have two sons, Eben, 5 and Michael, 2.  These experiences as a lawyer, a businessman, a volunteer, a citizen, a public servant, a father, a husband and a friend, have provided me a unique perspective which is based on common sense at its core, and that is dignified, fair, and honest for the parties which may come before me.  This is how I conduct my life, and this is how I would conduct a courtroom if blessed with the opportunity."