Indiana county swears in first Black judge in county history
Erika C. Stallworth will take over the role previously filled by W. Jonathan Forker, who retired after over a decade serving as Magistrate and Juvenile Magistrate for LaPorte County, Indiana.
LaPorte County in northwestern Indiana had never appointed an African-American judge since forming over 190 years ago.
That changed Friday, April 21 as Indiana native Erika C. Stallworth was sworn in as the county’s new Juvenile Magistrate before a crowd of family, friends and colleagues, according to a press release.
Thomas Alevzios, LaPorte Circuit Court Judge, said that the county is long overdue in appointing its first Black judge, and praised the highly accomplished Stallworth as the best candidate for the role.
“We’re highlighting the fact that something should’ve been done before. It’s being done now, and it’s being filled by a person with such tremendous talent,” Alevizos said, as reported by NBC-affiliate WNDU.
Stallworth is an alumnus of LaPorte High School and HBCU Spelman College, as well as University of Michigan and Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She has long worked in child advocacy and juvenile services for local underserved and at-risk youth, per the press release.
Prior to her new role as judge, Stallworth served for over two decades as the executive director of the county’s Juvenile Services Center, an emergency shelter and detention facility for youth, according to the press release.
Much of Stallworth’s work has focused on addressing inequities within youth service systems through legislative reform. The Indiana House of Representatives in 2008 appointed her to the Governor’s Commission on Disproportionality in Youth Services, one of many boards she has served on at the local, state and national level.
Stallworth in 2019 earned certification from the Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice program at Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. Through the program, youth and law enforcement were brought together for community-building and education programming launched by a team of stakeholders led by Stallworth, per the press release.
“I lean heavily on my faith, so I can do all things through Christ,” Stallwortg said standing before the courtroom during her appointment ceremony on Friday, per WNDU. “I know that he brought me into this position for a reason and so I will continue to believe that and lean on that and seek wisdom as I make decisions.”
Stallworth will take over the role previously filled by W. Jonathan Forker, who retired after over a decade serving as Magistrate and Juvenile Magistrate for LaPorte County, Indiana, per the press release.
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