Here Comes de Judge

With Boone Circuit Court Judge Steve David's anointment by Governor Mitch Daniels to the state supreme court, odds makers are picking their mounts on which one will cross the wire first to succeed the former Mayflower Transit's lawyer.

Names of four county barristers are circulating, and the winner that shakes out of the political trees needs to save the governor from any embarrassing fallout.

The four are: Todd Meyer, county prosecuting attorney; Jeff Jacob, a Zionsville attorney with long-standing family political ties; Pam Buchanan, a Zionsville attorney whose late husband John Buchanan was the county prosecutor, and Jeff Edens, who served as circuit court judge pro tem while David was serving with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate branch at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for over a year.

Meyer, who was elected county prosecutor following the untimely death of Buchanan, has no time on the other side of the rail, and not always been the easiest for some local agencies to work with, demanding exhaustive investigations to cover any and all bases. He is currently in his second term.

Jacob, another novice when it comes to judicial robes, is a member of the Andreoli & Jacob law firm in Zionsville. His partner, Mike Andreoli for years was the "man to see'' when it came to sticky legal issues, especially in land development. Jacob is the grandson of the late Paul Green, who was the county Republican chairman for eons. His grandmother, the late Betty Green, was the daughter of Nobe Berry who had been the Boone County Republican party chairman for many years. Other political clout for Jacob is his father, Steve Jacob, who is president of the Boone County Council.

Buchanan, now in private practice, was appointed prosecutor when her husband stepped down from that position because of his illness. If the governor decides on Buchanan, it would help deflect some of the flack he caught from women's organizations when he picked David instead of the chance at breaking the mold on the all-male bench.

Edens, who presently serves as chief deputy prosecutor to Meyer, had an epiphany before he was named to fill-in for Judge David. Edens, a longtime Democrat, had to switch parties to satisfy the governor he had the talent for the circuit court post. The roots of Edens family political tree go back to 1882 when his great-grandfather was county sheriff, and his grandmother was born in the old county jail.

Early odds have Edens an even choice because if he was chosen once, why wouldn't he have the edge; Meyer is 7-3; Jacobs 6-1, and the long shot, Buchanan at 50-1.

Stay tuned for the call to the post.