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Judge Bobay Named Allen Superior Court Chief Judge

Judge Bobay Named Allen Superior Court Chief Judge
New Chief Judge will serve a two-year term beginning January 1, 2016

Fort Wayne, Ind. – Allen Superior Court Judge Craig J. Bobay has been elected Chief Judge of the Court for the 2016-17 term.

Bobay was elected by the Court’s nine-member board of Judges at a meeting today (Wednesday,

Dec. 16). His two-year term as Chief Judge begins Jan. 1.

“Leading the Court over the next two years will be an honor, a privilege and an impressive challenge,” Bobay said. “I look forward to innovating in partnership with the Indiana Supreme Court to make the delivery of justice in Allen County and across our state even better.”

Bobay (whose full biography follows this release) is extensively experienced in the function of Allen County courts, having served as a Judge and Magistrate in both Circuit and Superior Courts. He also served as Superior Court Administrator in the 1980s. He currently serves as a Judge in Superior Court’s Civil

Division, where he also supervises the Small Claims Division.

In addition to chairing meetings of the Superior Court Board of Judges, the Chief Judge attends to

certain budgetary and human resources matters and co-chairs meetings of the District 7 Trial Court Judges.

Already, Bobay has been at the forefront of efforts to implement a Commercial Court system in Indiana. Bobay currently chairs a committee, appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court, tasked with establishing Commercial Courts in Indiana. Such a system will combine judges experienced in handling business and commercial law cases with case-specific resources and case management practices. He believes the Commercial Court efficiencies will enhance the state’s overall business climate.

Bobay said that his goals as Chief Judge include implementing electronic filing of Court documents in

Allen County, enhancing the Superior Court’s on-line presence to provide more information about the Court to the public, exploring new methods of optimizing resources to more efficiently handle the

Superior Court’s extensive caseload and better serve the public, and having Allen County lead the

implementation of Indiana’s Commercial Courts.

“Our resources are finite, but the work of the Courts to settle disputes and deliver justice never ceases,” Bobay said. “It is paramount that we never stop thinking about new ways to do our jobs more efficiently and in tune with the needs of the community.”