Published: May 02, 2008 11:04 pm         

Deputy prosecutor notes public service

An attorney who has served as deputy prosecutor in both St. Joseph and Elkhart counties is hoping to extend his public service career.

Peter D. Todd, Elkhart, is seeking the Republican nomination for Superior Court 5 judge.

“During my five years as a prosecutor, I was able to see where I might be able to better serve the community in the position of judge,” Todd said of his interest in pursuing the judicial nomination. “Having spent most of my legal career as a deputy prosecutor in Elkhart County, I have forged relationships with the key people in Elkhart County law enforcement and government that will allow me to efficiently carry out the business of the court.”

Todd said seeking the judgeship is something that has been on his mind for some time.

“I first approached Judge (James W.) Rieckhoff back in February of last year and told him I was thinking of running,” Todd said. “I told him that I had nothing but respect for him, but thought it was my time, and would be the best time for me to run.”

After graduating with honors from the Valparaiso University School of Law in 2000, Todd was hired on as a lawyer with the Goshen firm of Yoder, Ainlay, Ulmer and Buckingham, where he gained the majority of his civil law experience.

Todd then moved on to work in the public sector, accepting first the position of deputy prosecutor in St. Joseph County, and then later in 2002 his most recent position of Elkhart County deputy prosecutor.

As for why he feels he is the most qualified candidate for the position, Todd highlighted what he considers his ability to be both fair and impartial while at the same time using the court’s resources to their fullest.

“Well, the first thing is I will be able to interpret the law, and not impose my own will, because the first key to being a judge is to be able to recognize it’s not personal opinions that apply, but how the law is applied,” Todd said. “But a judge does have the opportunity to apply the law in a fair and balanced way, and I think I have done that well, and I also believe I have an ability to maximize the resources we have there.

“When I was a prosecutor, Curtis (T. Hill Jr., Elkhart County prosecuting attorney) put me in Superior Court 4, which was a high-volume court, based on my ability to streamline and make things more efficient. So I will also bring an ability to manage a court from a procedural and management position, and bring skills and knowledge to allow me to be fair and impartial on both sides.”

If elected, Todd said he would like to see the court run primarily as it has in the past, with a few exceptions.

“First off with respect to the civil side, I’ve spoken to major law firms in the county, those who deal primarily with collections, and they’ve indicated to me that Judge Rieckhoff’s court from the civil side is a model that should be emulated throughout the state. If it were up to them, they wouldn’t have me change anything,” Todd said.

“However, on the criminal side, I have had several discussions with both the sheriff and Tonya Gaby, executive director of the Community Corrections Advisory Board, and there are a lot of exciting new programs being implemented that are going to do much to reduce recidivism in the county, and I will work closely with both of them to facilitate these changes,” he said.

On the procedural side, Todd said he fully intends to use the latest technology available, such as telecommuting or interactive television, and plans to utilize the new courthouse housed at the new corrections facility as well.

“That’s going to create several areas of efficiency in that the Sheriff’s Department will not have to transport the inmates from the jail to the court, and it will cut down on labor costs for the Sheriff’s Department as well as the risk to prisoners and the community,” he said.

Todd, a father of two, lives in Elkhart with his wife of 17 years.

“My wife is a teacher with the LIFE (Learning is For Everyone) program, and will be receiving her master’s in special education on the night of the election,” Todd said. “So the night of the election, I’ll be over in South Bend watching her graduate.”