[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 12 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         TRIBUTE TO MYRA SELBY

                                 ______


                        HON. ANDREW JACOBS, JR.

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 20, 1995
  Mr. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, the important thing about Myra Selby is not 
that she is a woman and is not that she is an African-American. The 
important thing is that she is one of the most competent citizens ever 
placed on the Indiana Supreme Court. And she carries on a tradition of 
the Evan Bayh administration which, in a word, is excellence.
               [From the Indianapolis News, Jan. 5, 1995]

          In Historic Moment, State Court Welcomes New Justice

       In a brief but historic ceremony, the five justices of the 
     Indiana Supreme Court recessed, then returned with a new 
     member--Myra C. Selby, the first woman and first black 
     justice to serve on the court.
       ``I'm a little bit nervous today,'' Selby said Wednesday in 
     her first minutes on the bench. ``I hope that means I'm 
     ready.''
       The 102 justices who have served on the high court since 
     Indiana became a state in 1816 have all been white males.
       Mindful of her role in Indiana history, Selby said she did 
     not seek to be distinguished as a jurist by her race or 
     gender.
       ``What I did seek was the opportunity to serve the citizens 
     of the state of Indiana on this esteemed court,'' she said 
     moments after taking her place on the Supreme Court bench in 
     the north wing of the Statehouse.
       The courtroom was jammed with hundreds of well-wishers, 
     including members of Selby's family, friends, law and 
     government colleagues and state lawmakers in the capital for 
     the first 1995 working day of the General Assembly.
       Selby, a former law firm partner and government lawyer, 
     pledged that her service on the court would be marked by 
     ``diligence, thoughtfulness, fairness and patience . . .''
       She replaced Richard M. Givan, who retired after serving 
     two days short of 26 years, including 13 years as chief 
     justice.
       ``It's been a lot of fun,'' said Givan, gesturing to Selby 
     seated in the audience below the bench before the swearing-in 
     and adding, ``Myra, I wish you well.''
       At 39, Selby is the third youngest justice to serve, after 
     Justice Roger O. DeBruler, who joined the court in 1968 at 
     34, and Chief Justice Randall T. Shephard, who was a few 
     months younger than Selby when he joined the court in 1986.
       [[Page E153]] Selby was formally introduced by state Budget 
     Director Jean S. Blackwell, who attended law school with her 
     at the University of Michigan in the 1970s. Blackwell spoke 
     to the fact of Selby's ``firsts'' as a woman and black on the 
     court. ``Some feel this shouldn't matter, but it really is a 
     giant step for Indiana,'' she said.
       Harry T. Edwards, a federal appeals judge in Washington who 
     once was Selby's law professor, said the new justice's career 
     has been characterized by ``intellect, experience and 
     commitment.''
       ``She will be a wonderful addition to this distinguished 
     court,'' he said.
       Selby was appointed by Gov. Evan Bayh, who administered the 
     oath of office with a Bible held by her husband, Bruce Curry.
       Her father, attorney Ralph Selby, and mother, Archie, of 
     Bay City, Mich., and her 9-year-old daughter, Laureen, helped 
     Selby don the black robes of a justice.
       The five-member court then stood in recess. When the 
     justices returned to the courtroom a few minutes later, Givan 
     was absent and Selby sat to Shephard's left.
                                                                    ____

              [From the Indianapolis News, Dec. 22, 1994]

                       Selby Wins High Court Seat

       Congratulations are in order to Myra C. Selby, the first 
     woman and first African-American to be appointed to serve on 
     the Indiana Supreme Court.
       Selby, 39, who has served as Gov. Evan Bayh's director of 
     health care policy since July 1993, was one of three female 
     finalists for the seat. The other two women were Indiana 
     Court of Appeals Judge Betty A. Barteau and Charlestown 
     attorney Anne M. Sedwick.
       Selby said she hopes her historic appointment will help all 
     children ``reach for that highest star'' and dream of lofty 
     accomplishments.
       ``I hope to be able to become a symbol for young girls and 
     boys of all colors, shapes and sizes,'' added Selby, who, 
     before working for Bayh, served at Ice Miller Donadio & Ryan 
     for 10 years as a private attorney specializing in health 
     care cases.
       Selby will replace Justice Richard M. Givan, scheduled to 
     retire at month's end. She will be the youngest justice on 
     the five-member court.
       Some have criticized the governor for choosing for the 
     third time in as many appointments a close aide as an Indiana 
     Supreme Court justice. Bayh appointed his personal attorney, 
     Jon Krahulik, to the high court in 1990. When Krahulik 
     resigned, Bayh appointed Frank Sullivan Jr., his executive 
     assistant for fiscal policy, to take his place.
       But Bayh said he selected Selby for the $81,000-a-year post 
     because of her record of excellence in academics, intellect, 
     practice of law and ethics. Additionally, he long has 
     expressed his intent to diversify the all-white, male court.
       We particularly applaud Selby's sentiment that the Indiana 
     Supreme Court should hear more oral arguments of cases and 
     better educate the public about its role in state government.
       We welcome the opportunity she will have to promote this 
     philosophy and wish her a successful term in office.
                                                                    ____


            [From the Indianapolis Recorder, Dec. 24, 1994]

                Selby Wants To Set Example on High Court

                          (By Stephen Thomas)

       Traditions pertaining to culture and gender have been 
     erased and diversity has been injected into Indiana's highest 
     court.
       Gov. Evan Bayh appointed attorney Myra C. Selby to fill a 
     vacancy on the Indiana Supreme Court, Monday. Selby has 
     become the first woman as well as the first African American 
     to serve on the high court, as the replacement for retiring 
     Justice Richard M. Givan.
       The 39-year-old Selby said she has understood the ground-
     breaking significance of her appointment and that she would 
     hope to set a shining example for young people who have 
     dreamed of venturing into high-prestige career paths.
       ``I hope to become a symbol for young children, girls and 
     boys (of) all colors, shapes and sizes,'' Selby said, ``so 
     they, too, can reach for that highest star that they might 
     dream of.''
       Selby has exemplified excellence in the legal profession, 
     as evidenced by her consideration by the
      Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission, which named Selby 
     one of three finalists for the governor's contemplation. 
     Selby has started her judiciary career at the top of the 
     state's ladder, for she has not served as a judge hitherto 
     her historic appointment.
       ``Two elements that have impressed me most about Myra would 
     be her intelligence and her thoughtful, considered 
     demeanor,'' said Bayh, ``I'd even go so far as to say her 
     judicial demeanor. I believe she is the kind of person who 
     will hear all parties, weigh all the evidence and look to the 
     law and do what is just.''
       Selby, the 103rd justice and youngest member of the high 
     court, has been the governor's health care policy director 
     for more than a year. Professional skepticism for her lack of 
     bench experience, her political ties to the governor who 
     appointed her as well as attention magnified by her race and 
     gender would not become performance obstacles, Selby said.
       ``I hope I'll handle it well,'' Selby said. ``I think that 
     anticipating that it will occur will make it a little easier. 
     Whenever one is in public life, one realizes that one has a 
     responsibility to the public for the role that you're in. I'm 
     fully aware of that and appreciate it.''
       Selby would not necessarily be remembered solely for her 
     appointment's obvious diversification of the high court. Bayh 
     was impressed with Selby's zeal to be recognized for those 
     aspects of her life over which she has had control, notably 
     her accomplishments as a lawyer.
       ``I want to be chosen for anything I accomplish because of 
     what I am and because of my accomplishments and my 
     abilities,'' Bayh said Selby once told him. ``It seems to be 
     that that is what we honor (in Selby's appointment).
       ``The fact that she agreed to an enormous cut in pay to 
     step down as the partner of one of the most prestigious law 
     firms, not only in our state but in the country, to serve the 
     people of Indiana is not something that should be held 
     against her.''
       Selby was a partner in the law firm of Ice Miller Donadio 
     and Ryan, a position she took after serving as an associate 
     in the Washington-based law firm of Seyfarth Shaw Fairweather 
     and Geraldson. She has specialized in health care law and 
     labor law.
       Selby in 1993 and '94 has served as an associate professor 
     of health sciences at the Finch University of Health 
     Sciences, Chicago Medical School, one of her several academic 
     positions.
       The 1980 University of Michigan Law School graduate has 
     written articles for numerous legal journals, also. She 
     earned a bachelor's degree in 1977 from Kalamazoo College.
       Selby, perhaps prophetically, was honored as ``A 
     Breakthrough Woman'' in 1990 by the Coalition of 100 Black 
     Women.
       Selby, her husband of 16 years Bruce Curry and their 
     daughter Lauren reside in Indianapolis.
                                                                    ____

               [From the Indianapolis Star, Jan. 5, 1995]

            Newest Justice Takes Her Place, Breaks Barriers

       Ever since Indiana became a state in 1816, the Supreme 
     Court has looked very much the same: all white and all male. 
     On Wednesday, Myra C. Selby changed all that.
       Selby, a former law firm partner and government lawyer, 
     took the oath of office to become the 103rd justice to sit on 
     the high court--and its first woman and first black member.
       While mindful of her role in Indiana history, Selby said 
     she did not seek to be distinguished as a jurist by her race 
     or gender.
       ``What I did seek was the opportunity to serve the citizens 
     of the state of Indiana on this esteemed court,'' she said 
     moments after taking her place on the Supreme Court bench in 
     the north wing of the Statehouse.
       The courtroom was jammed with hundreds of well-wishers, 
     including members of Selby's family, friends, law and 
     government colleagues and state lawmakers who had come to the 
     Capitol for the first 1995 working day of the Indiana General 
     Assembly.
       Selby pledged that her service on the court would be marked 
     by ``diligence, thoughtfulness, fairness and patience . . .''
       She replaced Richard M. Givan, who retired after serving 
     two days short of 26 years, including 13 years as chief 
     justice.
       ``It's been a lot of fun,'' said Givan. Gesturing to Selby, 
     who was seated in the audience below the bench before she was 
     sworn in, he added: ``Myra, I wish you well.''
       At 39, Selby is the third-youngest justice to serve, after 
     Justice Roger O. DeBruler, who joined the court in 1968 at 
     34, and Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard, who was a few 
     months younger than Selby when he joined the court in 1986.
       Selby was formally introduced by State Budget Director Jean 
     S. Blackwell, who attended law school with Selby at the 
     University of Michigan in the 1970s. Blackwell acknowledged 
     Selby's ``firsts'' as a woman and black on the court. ``Some 
     feel this shouldn't matter, but it really is a giant step for 
     Indiana,'' she said.
       Harry T. Edwards, a federal appeals judge in Washington and 
     former law professor of Selby's, said Selby's career has been 
     characterized by ``intellect, experience and commitment.''
       Selby was appointed by Gov. Evan Bayh, who administered the 
     oath of office with a Bible held by her husband, Bruce Curry.
       Her father, attorney Ralph Selby; mother, Archie, of Bay 
     City, Mich.; and her 9-year old daughter, Lauren, helped 
     Selby don her black robe.
       The five-member court then stood in recess. When the 
     justices returned to the courtroom a few minutes later, Givan 
     was absent, and Selby sat to the left of Shepard. ``I'm a 
     little bit nervous today,'' she said. ``I hope that means I'm 
     ready.''
Vol. 141


WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1995

No. 12


House of Representatives