Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Catherine Stafford is running for reelection this year.
Stafford took office in 2019 and will complete her first six-year term at the end of 2024.
So far this election cycle, the race for Stafford’s seat is uncontested.
Stafford’s docket includes divorce, protection orders, small claims, evictions, name and gender market changes and other civil cases.
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In a news release, Stafford said access to justice is the most critical issue facing civil courts.
“Our community is fortunate to have a legal aid office, a pro bono organization, and local attorneys who provide free or reduced-cost legal services, but we still have a huge unmet need,” Stafford wrote.
Stafford said she hopes to create a self-help legal center that can provide legal advice on civil issues to low-income residents and other underserved populations.
“When a litigant faces a complex custody issue or an eviction but cannot afford a lawyer, they may be unable to articulate the problem, defend themselves, introduce evidence, or question witnesses.,” Stafford wrote. “As a judge, I can help explain how court works, but I must remain neutral.”
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Stafford said during her time as a judge she has updated the county’s small claims forms to be more informative and helped start the Eviction Prevention Project, a collaboration of local nonprofits that provides free legal advice to litigants facing eviction.
Stafford serves on the statewide Family Law Taskforce, the Domestic Relations Benchbook Committee, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and the Guardian ad Litem Oversight Committee. She also teaches as an adjunct professor at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
