Clark Circuit Court judge named woman of distinction

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Feb. 1—SOUTHERN INDIANA — The Center for Women and Families named Clark County Judge Vicki Carmichael as one of its Women of Distinction for 2023.
Carmichael said it’s an honor she’s sharing with everyone who works with her at Clark Circuit Court 4.
“I was thrilled (when I heard). To me what I do on a daily basis can be very rewarding, but can also be not so rewarding, so it’s nice to be recognized for something I’m engaged in,” Carmichael said. “What I’ve said to everybody over the years, I don’t do any of this alone. I have a whole team of people who work with me, so any honor I receive is there honor, in my opinion.”
She is one of six people in the region who will be honored at The Center’s 35th Celebration of Service and Survival Gala at the Mellwood Arts Center on March 11.
Gretchen Hunt, Mattie Jones, Dani Kannapell, Tina Ward Pugh and Samuel Riddick will also be honored. Riddick has been named the Nolen C. Allen Man of Distinction.
Carmichael’s court covers half of the felony cases in Clark County, and she has also been instrumental in implementing problem-solving courts in the county. These courts include adult drug court, family recovery court and veterans treatment court.
“To me, problem-solving courts are the best way to handle certain individuals in the criminal justice system, because if we can address the issues their facing (like) substance abuse, mental illness, any combinations of those things…maybe we can keep them out of the system next time around,” she said.
She is also looking into how to handle mental health issues with a problem-solving court.
Clark Circuit Court 4 works alongside The Center to help survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“I’ve relied a lot on them over the years, as an attorney referred a lot of individuals to them. They can help. They have counselors, housing and assistance,” she said, adding at one point there was a grant that allowed The Center to have a victim’s advocate in-house at the Clark County Judicial Center. “That relationship with The Center is so valuable, we still use them for those purposes, when we have a domestic battery case.”
Four murders that police think are tied to domestic violence occurred in Southern Indiana last year, including two in Clark County. The two Clark County cases are in Clark Circuit Court 1.
“It just frustrates me and saddens me,” Carmichael said. “I am frustrated because I think there are so many resources out there that people just don’t know about and don’t understand…the families of the victims in some of these (deaths) are just devastated and not able to comprehend and understand what went wrong. That’s another benefit of The Center, they’re really very trauma focused.”
The Center’s CEO Elizabeth Wessels-Martin said a group of Carmichael’s peers chose her as a woman of distinction for this year. The Center has past winners who nominate people in the community who have careers in sectors like the judicial system, education, humanities, child welfare and medicine.
“She was voted by her peers to be recognized for the work she’s done to support survivors and to bring justice to Southern Indiana for domestic violence and sexual assault (cases) to make the community a better place for victims and survivors,” Wessels-Martin said, adding that Carmichael understands domestic violence is a problem that affects the entire community.
The Center closed its Southern Indiana shelter in 2018 and currently has an office at 1301 Akers Ave. in Jeffersonville that focuses on a mobile advocacy model.
“Year after year mobile advocacy has tripled the amount of individuals we serve,” Wessels-Martin said. “We are able to serve on a huge continuum.”
Carmichael’s honor also comes at a time where The Center has seen an increase in domestic violence related homicides in Southern Indiana and Louisville.
“I really do think there’s hope for victims out there, there’s hope for survivors and we need to work together to try to spread kindness and compassion,” Carmichael said. “Maybe we can live in a violence-free world at some point if we spread kindness and compassion…I think there’s hope and resources out there, I encourage people to reach out, ask for help.”
If you or someone you know has experienced or been threatened by intimate partner violence or sexual assault, contact The Center for Women and Families for free, confidential support, including emergency housing, safety planning, counseling, advocacy in medical settings or courtrooms, and more. Available Monday-Friday at 812-944-6743, or 24/7 at 1-844-237-2331.
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