WARSAW — Almost exactly a year removed from the signing by Gov. Eric Holcomb to establish a fifth court in Kosciusko County, four candidates are finishing up the application process and awaiting news on who will be given the gavel of Kosciusko Superior Court 4.

The following is the final of four profiles on the four candidates for the judgeship, which is scheduled to begin adjudicating cases July 1.

Chad M. Miner

Lifelong Kosciusko County resident and County Attorney Chad M. Miner professes a deep love for his community and touts those sentiments as his primary motivation for applying for the fifth county court judgeship.

“I care deeply about this community,” Miner said. “Our county courts are a source of local pride, and I would be honored to be given the opportunity to continue Kosciusko County’s tradition of judicial excellence. My sincere hope is that such an opportunity would enable me to put my abilities to good use in the service of my much-loved community.”

Miner attended Indiana University/Purdue University in Fort Wayne, earning a bachelor’s degree in business before studying at the Indianapolis campus for his law degree in 2006.

“Subsequently, I attended evening classes at Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne and was awarded my Master of Business Administration in 2012,” he said.

Miner pointed to a diverse skill set as giving him a significant perspective as a judicial candidate.

“I practice in Kosciusko County in a number of areas of law, including civil litigation, business matters, estate planning and estate administration, and I have also served as the county’s attorney since 2014,” said Miner. “Additionally, I am the town council president for Silver Lake and I serve as a director on boards for several local non-profit organizations.”

Miner, like the other candidates for the bench, acknowledged the need for a fifth court in the county.

“A critical component of any well-functioning judicial system is the capacity to resolve matters in a timely and efficient manner, and by adding an additional court, the county will be better positioned to ensure that parties are able to have issues heard and dealt with in a prompt fashion,” Miner said.

Miner is frequently behind the podium in his myriad community roles and said his experience as an attorney has deepened his appreciation for the importance of maintaining civility throughout the judicial process.

“I will focus on ensuring that all parties are treated with respect and courtesy, along with stressing the importance of resolving disputes in a way that is efficient and that is minimally disruptive,” he said.