Janette E. Surrisi

Janette is a lawyer with a knack for quickly getting to the heart of any issue. Her current practice focuses of civil work and appeals. She gained invaluable insight and experience through her work as a judicial extern to both the Honorable Justice Mark S. Massa of the Indiana Supreme Court, and the Honorable Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Before beginning her legal career, Janette held a real estate brokers license since 2005, working primarily in the second homes market surrounding Lake Maxinkuckee and Culver, Indiana. Moreover, Janette tackled land use and zoning issues close-up through her service on the Culver Plan Commission. Finally, Janette grew up on a long-held family farm in Pulaski County, Indiana, and has been connected to the agri-business community ever since. Having excelled in business and law school, Janette stands ready to help you with your legal needs.

Outside the firm, Janette enjoys spending time with her husband, Sean Surrisi, and their daughter, Abby – a graduate of the Culver Girls Academy and DePauw University, and collecting Culver Military Academy memorabilia.

Education

Valparaiso University Law School
Juris Doctor, Summa Cum Laude

• Inductee of the National Order of Scribes for excellence in legal writing
• Valparaiso Law 10 Commandments Award Winner for exemplifying civility, legal excellence, and professionalism
• Honors Program Graduate
• Earned Sixteen (16) Course Honors (top grade among all students in the course) in: Federal Evidence, Administrative Law, Federal Income Tax, Medical Malpractice, Honors Constitutional Law I, Honors Constitutional Law II, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Legal Professions, Complex Appellate Advocacy Clinic II, Legal Writing II – Appellate Advocacy, Legal Writing and Reasoning I, Legal Research II, Legal Research III, Advanced Legal Research, Legal Drafting, and Praxis II
• Served as Indiana Supreme Court Judicial Extern for the Honorable Justice Mark S. Massa
• Served as a Federal Judicial Extern for the Honorable Magistrate Judge Christopher A. Nuechterlein

Indiana University-South Bend
Bachelor of Arts

Bar Admissions

• State of Indiana
• United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Affiliations

• American Bar Association, Member
• Indiana State Bar Association, Member
• Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, Member
• Marshall County Bar Association, Member

Representative Cases

• Ladra v. State, 177 N.E.3d 412 (Ind. 2021) (reversing 20 years of Indiana Supreme Court precedent to curtail the scope of governmental immunity, under the Indiana Tort Claims Act, for the condition of roads during inclement weather).
• Thomas DeCola v. Starke County Election Board, 146 N.E.3d 1084 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020).
• Scotty Vanhawk, et al. v. Town of Culver, et al., 137 N.E.3d 258 (Ind. Ct. App. 2019).
• City of Plymouth Indiana, et al. v. Michael Kinder and Sons Inc., 137 N.E.3d 312 (Ind. Ct. App. 2019).

Leadership

• Vice Chair of Indiana Commission for Continuing Legal Education
• Council Member for Indiana State Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section
• Indiana State Bar Association Leadership Development Academy Class of 2019 – One of twenty-five attorneys selected to participate in the class. Lawyers selected represent all corners of the Hoosier state, and all are accomplished legal practitioners who have been admitted to practice for less than 15 years
• Culver Youth Club formerly known as the Culver Boys & Girls Club, Board of Directors and Past Chair of the It Just Takes One Fundraising Campaign
• Marshall County United Way, Board of Directors
• Marshall County Life Long Learning Network, Board of Directors
• Tri Kappa Service Sorority, Past-President and Past- Member