Richard R. Stalbrink Jr., judge of LaPorte Superior Court 2, is running for re-election. Stalbrink was elected to his first six-year term in 2008.
Superior Court handles general civil and plenary cases, divorces, protective orders, paternity cases, and all of the criminal cases that occur within the prisons in LaPorte County.
Since taking office in January 2009, Judge Stalbrink has presided over approximately 20 jury trials and 750 bench trials, both civil and criminal. In each of his last five years, he has heard hundreds of cases involving domestic issues regarding paternity and divorce, and hundreds of cases involving civil and criminal issues covering everything from murder to divorce to medical malpractice.
In addition to his regular caseload, Stalbrink was appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court to serve on the Domestic Relations Committee, which meets monthly. The committee recently revised the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines and is currently working on revising the Indiana Child Support Guidelines.
While serving as judge, Stalbrink has furthered his judicial and legal education by graduating from the Indiana Judicial College and by completing the Graduate Program for Judges through the Indiana Judicial Center.
Stalbrink graduated from LaCrosse High School in 1986 and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Ball State University in 1990 and his Juris Doctorate Degree from Valparaiso University in 1993. He was born and raised in LaPorte County and served as a deputy prosecutor in his home county and ran a private law practice in Michigan City before being appointed as a juvenile court magistrate in LaPorte Circuit Court in 2007.
In addition to a busy professional career, Stalbrink and his wife, Amber Lapaich-Stalbrink, are involved in numerous community activities. Stalbrink is a current member and past chairman of the LaPorte County Chapter of the American Red Cross and is a current member of the board of directors for the LaPorte County Fair Association. He is a current member and past president of the 4-H Horse and Pony Committee and former senior leader of the LaPorte County 4-H Horse and Pony Club. He coached Little League for seven years and has two children. His son, Richie, is a sophomore at Purdue University studying chemical engineering and his daughter, Jessica, is a sophomore at South Central High School.
Stalbrink will be finishing his first term as judge of LaPorte Superior Court 2 and his eighth year on the bench. “I love what I do every day as a judge and I would be honored for the opportunity to continue serving the citizens of LaPorte County as judge of LaPorte Superior Court No. 2,” he said.