[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 87 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RETIREMENT OF JUDGE JULIA JENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 25, 2018

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect and admiration 
that I take this time to honor Judge Julia Jent and to wish her well 
upon her retirement. For her lifetime of service, and truly inspiring 
career, Judge Jent is worthy of the highest praise. Among her numerous 
contributions to the community of Northwest Indiana, most impressive is 
her compassionate and unwavering commitment to our veterans. The Judge 
will oversee her final Veterans Treatment Court graduation on May 30, 
2018, at Woodland Park in Portage, Indiana.
  Judge Julia Jent was born in Germany and came to the United States in 
1957 when she was adopted by a military family from Texas. At the age 
of eighteen, she joined the United States Army. It was during her time 
in the service that she met her husband, Jack Jent, a fellow 
servicemember. Following their time in the military, the couple 
eventually moved to Northwest Indiana where they raised four children. 
After years of working a few different jobs, Julia decided to continue 
her education. In 1979, she received a Bachelor's degree from Indiana 
University Northwest, and in 1982, she earned a law degree from 
Valparaiso University. Judge Jent worked thirteen years in private 
practice law, before she was appointed by former Governor Evan Bayh as 
Judge of the Porter Superior Court to fill the remainder of the term 
vacated by Judge Mary Harper, in 1997. She was then elected to a six-
year term in 1998, and has presided over Porter Superior Court III for 
the past twenty-one years. In addition to her remarkable career, the 
Judge gives much of her time and efforts to numerous charitable and 
civic organizations, and for that she is to be commended.
  Presiding as a Superior Court Judge, values such as respect for 
others, loyalty, and patriotism, instilled during her military service, 
as well as her concern for the veterans appearing before her bench, 
served as the motivation for Judge Jent to establish a Veterans 
Treatment Court in Porter County. Recognizing many of our veterans 
struggle with addiction, mental health, and other issues after their 
time in the service of our nation, Judge Jent knew a more effective 
solution to address the nonviolent criminal charges veterans faced as 
defendants was to create a framework based on partnerships to focus on 
the root problem, rather than incarceration, and the Veterans Treatment 
Court was established in 2011. This court system allows defendants to 
participate in programs, including treatment and mentoring, that will 
meet their individual needs and take one to two years to complete 
before their record is expunged. The numerous graduates of this program 
attest to its success, and to it saving their lives, thanks to the 
dedicated professionals who share Judge Jent's vision and her 
compassion and who work together to improve the lives of those in their 
community.
  Personally, I have been blessed by the depth of Marge's kindness. I 
first met the Judge in early 1983 when I was an unemployed lawyer 
beginning to seek my way in the world. From the first time I met her 
and Jack, I was enveloped in their friendship and constant assistance. 
I could not have been successful without it. But my story is not 
unique, but only one of innumerable instances of Judge Julia Jent's 
empathy and kindness.
  I am honored to call Julia Jent a friend. More importantly, Marge has 
been a friend to all, and the epitome of a public servant. Hers is a 
life we should all seek to emulate.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my other colleagues join me in 
honoring Judge Julia Jent for her outstanding service to the people of 
Northwest Indiana and to wish her well upon her retirement. Judge 
Jent's impact on the region will be witnessed by generations to come, 
and for her many contributions, she is worthy of our gratitude and 
admiration.

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