James M. Redwine

court reporter

Katrina Sue Mann (1957 – 2017)

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A EULOGY

Gentle Reader, you may wonder why there is no photograph of Katrina to go with this eulogy nor are there other written remembrances of her forty years of service to Posey County and me. The reason is to be found in the adage which best describes her: “The impossible can be accomplished if praise is not the object.”

Katrina served Posey County from 1976 at age eighteen until March 27, 2017 without seeking or wanting recognition. She worked first for Posey Circuit Court Judge Steve Bach, then for Posey County assessor Mary Lee Curtis, then for Posey County Prosecuting Attorney Tom Rachels and his successor Tom McClelland, then with me in what was the Posey County/now Posey Superior Court/and from 1983 until last week with me in the Posey Circuit Court.

According to the Posey County Auditor’s Office, as of last week Katrina had 494.50 hours of unused/unpaid vacation, personal, sick and flex time (comp. time). Katrina could never find time for herself as she was always doing for everybody else. The Court came first, right after her family.

Her work required diligence and intelligence. Her diligence was legendary among her fellow workers and thousands of citizens who relied upon her for answers to countless complicated legal questions. Of course, most people did not know about her 144 point I.Q., every point of which often came to the rescue of attorneys, litigants and me.

There was no job or issue that came before the Court that Katrina felt was not her responsibility. If there was work to be done and people to be helped, she was all in without a request for assistance or thanks.

Gentle Reader, you may have never had the honor and pleasure of knowing Katrina Sue Mann but if you or your family, friends or clients needed any service from Posey County government during the last forty years, you may well owe a debt of gratitude to Katrina. However, do not feel bad for not knowing about her sterling service and generous attitude; she would have been embarrassed for you to acknowledge her.

For example, Katrina worked right up to going into the hospital last week in spite of immense pain and discomfort. I am pretty sure now, although she fought to the end, she knew this time was different. Of course, she made sure nobody else, including me, knew.

Since Katrina can no longer prevent anyone from singing a paean to her, perhaps if you knew her but also did not get a chance to tell her goodbye, you may wish to join in the following farewell:

Elegy to Kat Mann

A young girl from West Franklin came,
to work at the Court, but not to seek fame.

Her long flowing hair framed a lovely fresh face,
to me she’s the same tho’ the years moved apace.

Dreams she had many, she kept them inside,
while others she served her own would abide.

Her nephews and niece knew Aunt Sue Sue wouldn’t fail,
her Mom and siblings would always prevail.

She gave of her best each day of her life,
solving the Court’s innumerable strifes.

She never smoked, drank or cursed or pulled a trigger,
yet she is the one whose own body attacked her, go figger.

Never a word of self or complaint,
ever for others much as a saint.

Kat Mann I miss you, you know we all will,
if there is any justice, you’ll be with us still.

Please click on the following link to go to Kat Mann’s obituary:
http://www.pierrefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Katrina-Mann-2/#!/Obituary

 

 

From 1976 – ?

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Katrina S. Mann has served Posey County for forty years. She has worked in the County Assessor’s office, the Prosecuting Attorney’s office, County Court and Circuit Court. She has been a bailiff, probation officer, transcriptionist and court reporter.

Katrina has experience in every aspect of all court reporting functions. Currently she is the resident expert in criminal proceedings, guardianships and probate (estate) matters. Litigants and even attorneys rely upon Katrina for help with complicated questions that ofttimes nobody else seems to know how to answer. Judges also sometimes look to Katrina for help in dealing with the briar patch of arcane legal jargon and convoluted regulations. I know one judge quite well who turns to her frequently and has for forty years.

Katrina grew up in West Franklin in what once was rural Posey County. Society has unrelentingly encroached upon Katrina’s bucolic bliss. Today the once small settlement of West Franklin looks more like the west side of Evansville. Regardless, Katrina and her family continue to enjoy the home they have had since before the power plant started operations.

It is not possible to overstate the critical role Katrina has played in the Posey Circuit Court during my service on the Bench. She is a person of absolute integrity, reliability, discretion and sound judgment. She has always put the needs of the Court and the people we serve above her own. This has been good for the public but sometimes not for Katrina.

Katrina is a graduate of Mt. Vernon High School and has attended the University of Southern Indiana. Through hard work on her own time she has acquired numerous skills in the use of modern court technology such as Sten-O-Cat Court Reporting that is required in Indiana for death penalty cases.

Katrina is quiet, patient and friendly. Should one need help with a criminal, or probate or guardianship matter they should first consult their lawyer. However, if you want to know where the Judge goes for help, check with Katrina.

 

Ponce de Leon Meet Kristie

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Kristie Hoffman claims to have worked for the Posey Circuit Court and me for thirty years. She says she started in June 1986 as a Bailiff and transcriptionist then matriculated through most of the court reporter positions. Today, if one needs help with civil suits, adoptions, mental health cases or juvenile delinquency matters, they should call for Kristie. As for me, I find it hard to accept Kristie has accumulated thirty years of knowledge and expertise in numerous court matters when she herself has not gotten a year older. It is only when I compare my photographs from 1986 to my image in the mirror that I am able to accept that Kristie did not just arrive from St. Philip, Indiana not knowing where the courthouse was.

Of course, the fact that she and Andy have been married for twenty-eight years (I went to their wedding) and have two adult sons does militate in favor of the falling sands of time. Although Andy also looks like he just graduated from high school. Perhaps Kristie should pay Posey County for the privilege of working in a position which apparently affects her as would have Ponce de Leon’s frantically sought after Fountain of Youth. I have noticed however she and Andy tend to look more like normally aging people when Notre Dame loses.

Ah, well, the rest of us can take consolation from the knowledge that Kristie will never experience the joys of aging. Is not there much to be said for the character building vicissitudes of changing visages and aching limbs? Okay, I guess not. Still, what will Kristie do if she ever does get old? The shock may be too much for her. As the rest of us gradually become habituated to the inevitable we can take solace that the Kristies of the world may go to sleep some day and awake eight hours later with some stranger living in their skin. On the other hand so may we, it will just be a much older looking stranger.

Okay, enough grousing about the unfairness of it all. What else does the public need to know about Kristie? One important distinction between Kristie and the rest of the court staff is she gets to work at 7:00 a.m. Therefore, if you need to contact the court before normal hours you can call 812-838-1302 and select option 3. Kristie will answer and efficiently direct you to the proper department of the legal system to address your questions. Of course, the court staff is prohibited by Indiana law from giving legal advice. However, Kristie and her three fellow court reporters are quite knowledgeable and helpful when general legal system guidance is needed.

All four Posey Circuit Court court reporters work at the north end of the second floor of the courthouse. Their doors are always open to the public. Sometimes they are involved in matters the law requires be kept confidential. In those cases the public is excluded. Otherwise feel free to call or drop by. The courts are always “open pursuant to adjournment” as the Indiana Constitution requires.

What Are We Doing?

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You probably think this article is about the current presidential election. You would be incorrect. The title is literal. That is, what does the Posey Circuit Court do and who does it? Many of my friends ask me these questions. Actually, I do not have that many friends but the few I have often ask, “Do judges work?” One of my brothers, the one who practices law, answers this question thusly, “No!” But he was always prone to being overly dramatic. And his opinion is usually expressed right after he has lost a case. I do not feel any urge to disabuse him of his prejudice.

Instead I would like to share with you, Gentle Reader, an exposition of what really goes on in the Posey Circuit Court. Let’s start with one of the Court’s four court reporters, Liz Miller.

Elizabeth Ann (Dayton) Miller has been with the Court since January 2015. She is our newest member. While each court reporter may step in for the others when needed, each court reporter has particular areas of responsibility. Liz’s is court administration. She prepares and presents our budgets, claims and payroll to the Posey County Council, Board of Commissioners and the County Auditor. Liz also picks up the mail, prepares the next day’s files for court and transcribes testimony from court hearings.

Lizzie, as only her four siblings call her, was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her family moved to Posey County when she was twelve so her father could take the position of plant chemist with G.A.F. Liz and all of her siblings graduated from Mt. Vernon High School.

Jeff Miller, Liz’s husband of 34 years, is a native of Savah where, according to Liz, he plans to stay until he becomes one with the soil. Jeff and Liz are members of Mt. Vernon’s First Christian Church.

Liz has been actively and deeply involved in public service in Posey County for many years. She was Co-Chair of Relay for Life 2001–2005. Liz received the Relay for Life Courage award in 2006. She has chaired the Gateway for Cancer Research Longaberger Basket BINGO every year since 2004.

While Liz has numerous other public service accomplishments one of her proudest honors is being chosen one of Posey County’s Torchbearers for Indiana’s Bi-Centennial Torch Relay celebration. To commemorate 200 years of Indiana history Hoosier citizens from across our state have been nominated and selected to carry the Torch from our first State Capitol in Harrison County through all 92 counties.

Liz and her fellow Posey County honorees will receive the Torch at noon on September 11, 2016 in Mt. Vernon in front of the Hovey House. She will be one of the twenty Posey County citizens who are being honored for their public service. Liz is grateful but humbled by this recognition of her dedication to helping others and promoting Indiana’s long tradition of service and progress.

To those who may wonder what the court does, I submit Liz. Perhaps we can discuss other Court functions and functionaries later.