MY STORY

I was born in St. Joseph County, in South Bend, in a house on Hartman Drive, where my mother still lives today. My father met my mother in Naples, Italy. They had four children; I am the third. My father and mother separated when I was 7 years old due to alcoholism on my father's side. My father died at the age of 60 as an alcoholic.

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My mother worked as a waitress and cook at the Capri Restaurant to support our family. In the 1970's she was hired as a cook at Memorial Hospital but did not have a driver's license and rode the bus to work every morning. 

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Since my father was out of the picture, it was important to my mother that we had solid role models to mentor us because she worked on average 12 to 15 hours per day. My mom enrolled all four of us children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program, whose goal is to provide mentoring for children facing adversity. 

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My first job was going around our neighborhood collecting newspapers in my red wagon for recycling and my second job was helping my oldest brother, Michael, with his paper route. He would have me sit in the front basket, and I would throw the paper on porches for a percentage of the profits.

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I continued to work throughout high school, paying my own tuition at Saint Joseph High School, where I was also a wrestler. I financially supported myself through college and law school, using summer and winter breaks to work and save money.

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In the summer of 1983, when I was 18*, I experienced the greatest tragedy in my life. I was involved in a car accident, where I hit a brother of Holy Cross, who was riding his bike. The box truck ahead of me was blocking my view. The truck moved out of the way in time to avoid hitting the cyclist, however, I did not. He sadly passed away a few days later.  I went to the funeral supported by teachers and classmates throughout the community. I was not ticketed at the scene, but testified at a grand jury. I was told the grand jury determined it was an unfortunate accident of two people at the same place at the wrong time. I coped with extreme grief, sadness, guilt and shame. This life changing event will be with me for the rest of my life. I now occasionally share my story when working with others in difficult situations.

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I have worked as a civil litigation and trial attorney for over 30 years. I have also worked as a deputy prosecuting attorney for 23 years with the Saint Joseph Prosecutor’s office in the Problem Solving Courts, which include the Drug Treatment Court and Veterans’ Court. 

 

At the Problem Solving Court, we encounter individuals everyday who are in complex situations. Many suffer from mental health and substance abuse disorders. I was involved with establishing our Veterans’ Treatment Court to help those who suffer from mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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I have worked successfully within the prosecutor’s office under both Republican and Democratic prosecutors. I have gained a valuable base of knowledge on gender, age, and cultural issues that may impact an offender's success in completing the programs. 

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The position I am seeking is a 6-year term as a judge on the probate court, the only one in the state of Indiana. The probate court deals with such areas as guardianships, trusts, wills, domestic cases, paternity issues, adoptions, child support and juvenile matters. 

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I believe my extensive law background combined with my life experiences make me a compassionate and fair candidate for the office of probate judge and I hope to earn your vote in the November 5, 2024 election.

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*A previous version of this column listed Loris's age incorrectly as 17.