Brucker Kocher to take Judge Blankenship’s seat

       Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Murphy will soon be looking for a new chief deputy as the current one will be soon referred to as “your honor.” 
Governor Eric Holcomb announced on Friday the appointment of Pulaski County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Crystal Brucker Kocher as the Pulaski Superior Court Judge. 
The appointment became available on April 3 when judge Patrick Blankenship retired. To help cover the increasing number of superior court cases, Senior Judge Doug Morton was asked to serve three days a week beginning April 19. Pulaski Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn has been splitting his time between the two courts. 
Brucker Kocher said she accepted the position as chief deputy in Pulaski County because Pulaski County is her home and she was thrilled to have the opportunity to make a difference. When the superior court judge appointment became available, Brucker Kocher decided it was time to take that opportunity a step further. 
“While I have been serving in the capacity of chief deputy, a lot of the things that I started to notice were a lack of resources,” said Brucker Kocher, who began practicing law in 2008 with Pearlman, Chosnek and Hopson P.C. where she focused on family, criminal and municipal law. 
The lack of resources for those who were being prosecuted concerned her so she began speaking with Shurn and becoming involved in committees that help others such as the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI) program. 
“I just really saw this opportunity to try to work with some of the local agencies and state agencies to take some of what I have learned in Tippecanoe County and hopefully  implement some of those things and make some changes,” Brucker Kocher said. 
Brucker Kocher is a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association (past secretary) as well as the Indiana Bar Association and the American Bar Association. 
She will be sworn into office on a mutually agreeable date to be determined and finish the remainder of the term in 2018. She can then run for election of the seat.