Alan Miller's speech at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner 21 April 2012

Alan Miller's speech at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner 21 April 2012

Very early in my life, I realized that I wanted to be an attorney. Then and now, I believe an attorney’s primary job is to help people. It is this part of the job that first drew me to it and that is the most rewarding now. It did not take me long to find out that there is much more to an attorney’s job than this. One of the more important duties of the job is to ensure the quality of justice itself. It is with this duty in mind that I can unequivocally say: we can do better. My name is Alan Miller and I am running for Judge of the Dearborn Superior Court No. 2.

I am from here. I graduated from Lawrenceburg High School, went to IU, and returned home for law school over at Northern Kentucky. I married a local girl, Kyle Thayer. Our roots in this community and in this party are deep. My family has been here for generations. My great-grandmother, Charlotte Miller, was involved in the party in the 50's and 60's. My wife's family has also been here for generations. Her grandfather on one side is Charlie Thayer, the longest serving councilman in the state of Indiana. On the other side, her grandfather, Bob Wickizer, served this party as its chairman for many years.

For the past 7 years, I've been practicing law here. During that time, I've practiced family law, landlord/tenant law and small claims law, among other areas. In 2007, I was made a partner at Zerbe Garner Miller & Blondell and, since that time, I have focused my practice in the areas of criminal law and bankruptcy. It has been in my role as a criminal defense attorney that I have seen on a daily basis the inefficiency and uneven playing field on which our justice system is currently grounded. It was this inefficiency and lack of fair play that most influenced my decision to seek this office.

When I announced my candidacy for Judge, I asserted that there were substantial problems with the administration of justice in Dearborn County. Since my announcement, some encouraging changes have occurred. However, it has become apparent that some have no interest in looking inwardly to fix these problems. These individuals would rather compromise the future financial security of our county than acknowledge their role in creating these problems and working to implement solutions. In some instances, they would rather resort to the tired practice of name-calling and mud-slinging to make their arguments for maintaining the status quo, however invalid or without foundation in the real world as they may be. It is time to do things differently.

There are two specific areas where improvement is badly needed: efficiency and fairness. If you have some spare time, head down to the courthouse and watch Superior II in action. There will either be no one in the courtroom or people waiting outside for hearings, sometimes for 15, 20, as much as 30 minutes. It is not unusual to wait weeks and sometimes months for a decision from this court. These types of delays are not often seen in Judge Cleary or Judge Humphrey's courts. These delays cost all of us by way of increased staffing costs, supplies and other resources, not to mention the time wasted by those actually appearing before the court, who have taken time off of work and spent gas money to be there or to support someone who is. Such ineffiencies are not just disrespectful of those appearing before the court, they are disrespectful of the court itself. When elected, court will start on time. The docket will move along at a reasonable pace and decisions will be made in a prompt manner. The increasing role and size of the justice system, which has literally grown to the point that an additional building has been purchased to accompany it, must be slowed. Spending, which has gotten more and more out of control, year after year under the current judge, will be reined in. As a small business owner, I understand that an organized and efficient operation is instrumental to success. I will use this experience to review current spending and find places where things can be done less expensively and more efficiently.

If you're from Dearborn County, you've undoubtedly heard the stories of individuals being treated differently because of their last name, because they “know someone.” It is not uncommon to observe a party treated differently due to their name, financial history or inability to hire an attorney. Such inequality cannot be what our Founding Fathers envisioned when they laid the groundwork for our justice system.

When elected, I will treat those appearing before the court fairly and with respect. I will not place my thumb on the scales of justice to give any party an unfair advantage or impose my personal opinion upon a case. The law will be applied without regard for one's last name or lot in life. I will work to restore judicial independence and transparency, and most importantly, I will honor and support the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Indiana.

With your help I will restore our system of justice to one of which we can be proud; one that reflects the values of the people of this county: integrity, fairness, hard work, fiscal responsibility, personal accountability. Some of those currently in charge have lost sight of these values. Now is the time to elect someone who will work towards reestablishing the justice system we deserve. It is without reservation that I tell you: I am that candidate.

Alan Miller
Candidate for Judge of Dearborn Superior Court 2