PRESS RELEASE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA
Laura A. Briggs, Clerk
46 East Ohio Street
Room 105
Indianapolis, IN 46204
July 1, 2008
The Hon. William T. Lawrence Sworn in as District Judge
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana is pleased to announce that on Tuesday, July 1, 2008, the Hon. William T. Lawrence took the oath to become a United States District Judge. Chief Judge David F. Hamilton administered the oath at noon in Judge Lawrence's courtroom in the Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Indianapolis. Judge Lawrence's wife and a number of court staff attended the swearing in, which took place one day after President Bush signed Judge Lawrence's commission.
Judge Lawrence's assumption of office comes just days after a unanimous confirmation vote by the United States Senate. President Bush nominated Judge Lawrence on February 14, 2008, to the judgeship, following Judge John Daniel Tinder's elevation to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in late 2007. Judge Lawrence's appointment returns the Southern District of Indiana to its full complement of five district judges.
Judge Lawrence had previously served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Indiana since November 2002 and is the first magistrate judge in the Southern District of Indiana to become a district judge.
Prior to his appointment as a magistrate judge, Judge Lawrence was an elected Judge of the Marion County Circuit Court, serving from 1996 to 2002. He was also a part-time Master Commissioner at the Marion County Circuit Court from 1983 until his 1996 election.
Judge Lawrence has experience as a Public Defender in the Marion County Criminal Court and in private practice. Other community contributions have included his appointment as Executive Director of Indiana's first Merit Selection Commission on Federal Judicial Appointments (1980); service on the Indianapolis Fire Department Civilian Merit Board (1983-1989); and Chairmanship of the Indianapolis Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education Commission (1997-2003).
Magistrate Judge Lawrence received his law degree from Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis in 1973, following his undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1970.
