Judge Weikert appointed to senior judge

When it was announced that Judge William Weikert was not going to seek re-election to the Dubois County Circuit Court Judge position, most thought that he would retire.

According to Weikert, that’s not happening, yet.

He’s accepted an appointment at a senior judge for about eight courts in this area.

Weikert says that the position is an appointed one in which a candidate must go before the same commission that selects court of appeals judges. He found out in October that he was selected.

According to the Indiana.gov website, the program was created in 1989. It allows Indiana courts to use the services of retired or former judges to supplement existing judicial resources. Courts now use senior judges as a replacement in the absence of a regular judge, as a complement to the regular judge or to oversee the processing of certain types of cases or court programs.

The position will be based in Dubois County but Weikert will serve other counties as well.

“Right now we have very few senior judges — one in Daviess County — and that’s about it,” Weikert said, “So, I’m going to be doing that after the first of the year.”

According to the state, Indiana has 96 former judges certified as trial court senior judges.

Weikert said it will take less time, but he wants to keep busy and he’s looking forward to a different role for himself.