Daniel Petrie is seeking the Montgomery County Superior Court 2 Judge position. The following Q&A was submitted by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County. Other candidates in June’s primary election will be featured.
Name: Daniel Petrie
Office sought: Montgomery County Superior Court 2 Judge
Occupation: Attorney, Partner, Henthorn, Harris, Weliever & Petrie
Education: Crawfordsville High School, 2003; Wabash College, B.A. 2007, Robert H. McKinney School of Law 2010.
Experience: General practice attorney 2010-present. I have represented thousands of clients in all manners of legal proceedings that go before this Court including criminal defense, divorces, guardianships, probate, trusts, small claims, other civil matters, and traffic court.
Contracted public defender 2010-present. I have represented hundreds of indigent defendants in all levels of criminal and child in need of services (CHINS) cases.
Founding member of the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court 2014-2019. Preserved the rights of participating veterans while working as part of the team to rehabilitate those veterans.
Community involvements: Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau, current vice president (2018-present); Boys & Girls Club of Montgomery County, board member (2013-2014); Crawfordsville Main Street, board member and secretary (2012-2018); Crawfordsville Rotary (2012-present); Anna Wilson Scholarship Committee (2015-2017); Christian Nursing Service (2011-2013); Dancing with the Montgomery County Stars, 2019 participant; Montgomery County Economic Development/Indiana West Advantage (2013-2015); Crawfordsville Farmers Market Steering Committee (2016-2018); Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen’s Advisory Committee (2019-present); First Christian church, youth group and worship leader; Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court (2013-2019); and Montgomery County Bar Association (2010-present), president 2014
Party affiliation: Republican
What do you think is the most important issue facing Crawfordsville/Montgomery County in the next four years?
The greatest issue facing our community is economic viability and strength. To continue to be the great community we are, we need to ensure that employers stay here and that we have the work force those employers require.
The biggest impediment to that is the rampant use and abuse of drugs in our community. When people are using illegal drugs, they don’t show up to work. Additionally, through my experience in family Courts, I see the toll that takes on those people’s entire families and their children. The use of drugs casts a web out from that drug user to an extended network of our County’s citizens, who then have to pick up the pieces.
Utilizing treatment options, when available and appropriate, will ideally rehabilitate those drug users so that they can rejoin the workforce and become productive citizens of our county. Rehabilitating them will also allow their families to thrive.
I’m particularly concerned right now with the long-term impact of COVID-19. Court oversight and treatment options are significantly hampered by the limitations currently in place. There may be many individuals and families that are slipping through the cracks. It will be important, particularly over the next year, to be aware of those issues.
If elected, what would be your primary goal for the first year?
My goal for the first year would be to collaborate with the other Judges, our local law enforcement, and local treatment providers, to grow the drug treatment options in our community. Many positive steps have been taken in the past few years toward providing treatment to people in our community who need it, and I would like to see that expand as much as possible. Study after study shows that simple incarceration without any treatment will not solve our drug problems.
What professional experience do you have that is relevant to the office you seek, and what specific skills do you possess that make you qualified for the position?
Montgomery County Superior Court 2 has jurisdiction over criminal matters, probate, guardianships, divorces, small claims, traffic, and general civil matters. In my 10 years of practice, I have represented parties in every single one of those types of cases in Montgomery County as well as every surrounding county. I have worked to make myself knowledgeable in all areas. Each type of case requires making different determinations based on the facts presented. I have represented hundreds of defendants in criminal matters and am very well versed in every part of a criminal case. Beyond that, I am the only candidate who has represented a party other than the State of Indiana, and the only one qualified to hear a probate, guardianship, divorce, or small claims matter.
One special part of Montgomery County Superior Court 2 is the Veterans Treatment Court. I was a part of the Vet Court team from its inception in 2013 until a full-time public defender took over my position in 2019. I was able to help form the rules and regulations in that Court and setting the standards for participants that are still in use today. Additionally, I was able to help recruit several mentors. The mentors form the backbone of the program. I spent 6 years learning the ins and outs of how to aid veterans in their path to rehabilitation, and attended trainings specifically tailored to help members of treatment courts. I have also been in communication with other judges and veterans service officers in surrounding counties to try to expand the treatment court to help veterans who currently do not have the service available to them.
An elected office provides the opportunity to proactively lead by placing new ideas on the agenda for consideration and development. What are some specific ideas you intend to pursue if elected?
A few years ago, the state legislature instituted rules that keep low-level felons in our community jails instead of in state prisons. This has put a burden on our local jails, but also presents us with an opportunity to help our own community. One particular opportunity is the ability to provide drug treatment to the significant portion of our jail population that is incarcerated due to their drug use. Our current Judges and our Sheriff have already instituted a treatment program in our county jail called JCAP, and that is showing positive results. The funding for these programs is not guaranteed forever. I would work with the County Council, the Sheriff and the other Judges to find funding opportunities to maintain our current treatment options for an extended period of time and to expand those options if at all possible.
Second, my experience in child in need of services (CHINS) proceedings, as well as my role on the board of the Youth Service Bureau has shown me the importance of utilizing child advocates. Most of these advocates are specially trained volunteers in the community who donate their time and effort to help the children in this community. At times, the Court will appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL), who is generally a local attorney, to serve if a CASA is not available and the Judge sees the need for a child advocate. Currently, our County does not have a significant amount of funding to appoint GALs to cases I would work with our community leaders to both expand the CASA program and to find grants and other funding sources to provide children their own voice in Court proceedings. The only way to ensure that a child’s best interest is served in a court proceeding is to give them a voice.
Please describe your priorities for this term in office and your specific qualifications to address those issues effectively.
Priority one is to address the substance abuse issue. This cannot be done by one judge alone. There are three judges in Montgomery County, along with law enforcement, treatment providers, probation officers, and many others who all need to be a part of a collaborative effort. I have been in every court in our county representing parties affected by drug use. I am involved with community organizations who work to address those affected by substance abuse. I know all of the key community organizations and their members who are working to address the issues. I plan to work with those other organizations to continue the positive progress that is being made.
Priority two is to expand the services provided to children in this community. My work in CHINS cases, and my collaboration with the Department of Child Services, has shown me the multitude of services available to children in this community. I plan to utilize that knowledge to help provide children in legal proceedings the services they may need. I also hope to work with those providers to promote collaboration to expand everyone’s abilities to help the children of this community.
Third, I want to expand the services of the Veteran’s Treatment Court to the surrounding counties. Over the past several years, I have met with Judges and veterans officers from the surrounding counties to explore these possibilities, and want to continue those conversations and relationships to make sure that all of those veterans who sacrificed so much for us are given the respect and the help they so richly deserve.
What can Crawfordsville and Montgomery County do to reduce its carbon footprint?
For those in the legal world, paper is everywhere. Recently, the Courts have gone to an electronic system where paper files are no longer required. However, attorneys and litigants don’t have access to the internet in the Courtrooms. The Judges have the ability to explain to the Commissioners those issues, and it would be my intent to confer with the Commissioners to establish a secure wireless network for everyone to use in the Courthouse.
A second way is to cut down on unnecessary travel. Many times, the Court holds a hearing to find out the status of a case. Often times, these only take a few minutes and do not bring a resolution to the case. One positive of COVID-19 has been that many of us have now grown used to having important conversations either by phone or by video meeting. I would make efforts to encourage the use of those electronic mediums for some hearings.
What is the greatest concern that you hear from residents?
The greatest concerns I hear from residents are the issues of drug use and the wellbeing of the children in our community. My wife is an educator working in all three county school corporations. We discuss how the custody decisions made in our courts can affect students. Being aware of the long term consequences of a Judge’s decision is something I am uniquely qualified to do through my community connections.
All cities and counties face fiscal challenges, how would you address balancing the budget and the needs and wants of the community?
The Court only has limited control over the spending of taxpayer dollars. I have always been impressed by Judge Lohorn’s use of outside funding to pay for the Veteran’s Treatment Court and intend to maintain that. My philosophy is that if something positive can be done without taxpayer money, we should do that without taxpayer money.
One thing Judges do have is a special insight into the needs of the community. People come before the Courts every day to explain their wants and needs, and a Judge is uniquely qualified to consult with the other county officials to ensure that resources are being directed toward solutions that will eliminate wasteful spending.
What can Crawfordsville and Montgomery County do to encourage businesses to locate here?
There is much that both Crawfordsville and Montgomery County can do to attract businesses here. My work with Crawfordsville Main Street as well as Montgomery County Economic Development has shown me the steps being taken and what hurdles are still before us.
A Judge can help in these efforts by helping to ensure stability in the business community through civil litigation and small claims. This includes enforcing contracts while also having compassion for those who are down on their luck.
Also, as stated above, businesses want a willing and able workforce. If we address the issues of substance use, we can provide that workforce. A Court’s ability to sentence a person to work release or house arrest instead of incarceration will also allow those Defendants to work while receiving the treatment they need. Our county’s workforce development taskforce has said time after time that we need build our workforce, and that will attract business. As a Judge, I would be aware of those needs and would work within the confines of the law to help our community.
During and following the COVID-19 pandemic, what will you do, if elected, to help the recovery of our business community?
This pandemic has set all of the Courts, as well as Court services, back several months already. This also includes setting back contractual disputes and other business matters. My experience across all areas of law makes me uniquely qualified to determine which cases need to be heard, and also how to encourage litigants to reach a resolution without requiring the Court to use its limited time to hear the case.
