Notre Dame alumna named Chief Judge of Indiana Court of Appeals

The judges of the Court of Appeals of Indiana elected Judge Elizabeth F. Tavitas '85 B.A., '90 J.D. to serve a three-year term as Chief Judge starting on January 1, 2026. Judge Tavitas was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Eric Holcomb and began her service on August 6, 2018.

Judge Tavitas is a member of the Notre Dame Law Association Board and the Executive Advisory Committee. She has frequently presided over Appeals on Wheels oral arguments held at the Law School.

Born and raised in St. Joseph County, Judge Tavitas pursued her legal career in northwest Indiana. Prior to her appointment to the Court of Appeals, she served for more than twelve years as Judge of the Superior Court of Lake County, Civil Division from 2006-2018. She began her legal career as a deputy prosecutor in the Lake County Prosecutor's Office. She then served as a juvenile public defender in the Lake Superior Court, Juvenile Division and maintained a private practice. In 1998, she was appointed to the position of referee in the Lake Superior Court, Juvenile Division, where she served until 2006.

In 2015, Judge Tavitas was named Most Influential Woman of Northwest Indiana in the Law. She was also a recipient of a 2019 Fellows Award from the Indiana Bar Foundation and received the Indiana Lawyer’s 2021 Distinguished Barrister award. In 2023, she was recognized as a Courageous Judge Honoree by the National Judicial College for demonstrating courage in upholding the rule of law and providing justice for all.