The Monroe County Board of Commissioners plans to dedicate a courtroom in honor of late Judge Viola “Vi” Taliaferro on Sept. 25.
Taliaferro, who served from 1995 to 2004, was a trailblazer in many ways. She was the first African American judge in Monroe County and was a strong advocate for children in the court system.
“She was widely credited with retooling the juvenile justice system, and she was one of the first judges in Indiana to approve adoption for same sex couples,” according to a press release about the dedication.
Taliaferro died on June 11 at age 95, but the county hopes that the courtroom dedication will help her legacy live on for decades.
Read more: Children's advocate Judge Viola Taliaferro dies
The plaque marking the dedication will be on permanent display outside of Courtroom 213 in the Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center. It will go up next Monday during a recognition ceremony. Commissioners plan to offer formal remarks about the importance of Taliaferro’s career and life, and members of the public are encouraged to attend.
