Tanselle for Judge

I was appointed in 2022 by Governor Holcomb with the support of the judge that retired and whose seat I assumed. My court is Hendricks Superior Court 3, the juvenile court in Hendricks County. This means I have juvenile delinquency cases, child in need of services cases, termination of parental rights cases, and also divorces (among others). I practiced in that court for almost 9 years (and other courts). My experience is unparalleled for my court. I work to make the lives of children and families better by looking for fair outcomes and for trying to keep state intervention at a minimum - but not at the sacrifice of the safety and well being of children. I have my court engaged in a pilot project to have attorneys appointed to represent older children at no cost to the county because evidence indicates that you get better and faster case outcomes when older children have a say. I have pushed my juvenile probation department to create individualized solutions for children that come into my court. I'm not afraid to detain a child either - I spent more than double in 2023 as compared to 2022 for the cost of secure detention. Finally, the Youth Assistance Program is a program that statutorily falls under my court and I am working with the towns, schools, and county to grow this early intervention program beyond Plainfield because the need is there and the goal is to prevent families from ever making it to court. I have made the tough decisions, like terminating parental rights and committing children to the Indiana Department of Correction. I have also made decisions to reunify families back together when state intervention is no longer necessary. I am moving my court forward, and the county needs this progress to continue.