INDIANAPOLIS (November 14, 2005) ? Governor Mitch Daniels announced today the appointment of six judges throughout the state. Five appointments will fill vacancies in new courts recently created by the Indiana General Assembly for the counties of Dearborn, DeKalb, Howard, Monroe, and Vigo. These judges will be the first to preside over their respective courts. The sixth appointment fills a vacancy created by the resignation of an elected judge in Boone County.

?The people of Indiana are fortunate to have qualified and talented individuals willing to serve as judges,? said Daniels. ?I?m confident each of these appointees will serve the citizens of their counties with distinction as they further the interests of fairness and justice on the bench.?

The judges in Dearborn, DeKalb, Monroe, and Vigo counties will begin their duties on January 1, 2006, and the judge in Howard County will begin on January 6. The term of appointment in these five new courts expires on December 31, 2006. To continue in the position, each judge must be elected to a succeeding term.

Sally A. Blankenship of Lawrenceburg has been appointed judge of Dearborn Superior Court II. For the past 10 years, she has served as prosecuting attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, prior to which she spent four years as deputy prosecuting attorney for Dearborn and Ohio counties. Blankenship received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Kentucky University and her law degree from Northern Kentucky University.

Monte L. Brown of Spencerville has been appointed judge of DeKalb Superior Court II. Brown has served as DeKalb County Prosecuting Attorney for 17 years. He has also worked in private practice for 27 years. Brown received his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University and his law degree from Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis.

George A. Hopkins of Kokomo has been appointed judge of Howard County Superior Court IV. Hopkins currently serves as Howard County Deputy Prosecutor. Previously he has worked in private practice and served as a judge advocate in the Indiana Army National Guard, retiring with the rank of colonel. Hopkins received his undergraduate and law degrees from Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington.

Jeffery Alan Chalfant of Bloomington has been appointed judge of Monroe County Circuit Court VIII. Chalfant is currently an attorney with the firm of Bauer & Densford and has previously served as a deputy prosecutor and public defender in Monroe County. He received his undergraduate degree from DePauw University and his law degree from Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington.

James R. Walker of Terre Haute has been appointed judge of Vigo Superior Court VI. Walker has worked in the Vigo County Prosecutor?s Office for 26 years, serving as chief deputy prosecutor for the past 22 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana State University and his law degree from Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington.

An appointment was also made to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of an elected judge in Boone County:

Rebecca Sue McClure of Lebanon has been appointed judge of Boone County Superior Court II. She succeeds Judge James R. Detamore, who is resigning effective December 31. McClure currently serves as assistant executive director of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council. Previously, McClure served as Boone County Prosecutor for 11 years and has worked in private practice. She received her undergraduate and master?s degrees from Butler University and her law degree from Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis. McClure?s appointment will begin on January 1, 2006 and conclude on December 31, 2008.