Hon. Eugene Velazco, Jr., Judge of the Town Court of Merrillville v. Town Council of the Town of Merrillville, by its President, Rick Bella, et al.

── Hon. Eugene Velazco, Jr., Judge of the Town Court of Merrillville v. Town Council of the Town of Merrillville, by its President, Rick Bella, et al. ── Case No.: 23A-MI-01679 Court: Indiana Court of Appeals Date: January 09, 2024 Author: Judge Nancy Vaidik County of Origin: Lake Category: Civil Decision: Affirmed Judge Bradford and Judge Brown concur In December 2019, the Merrillville Town Council adopted an ordinance (1927(B)) to close the Merrillville Town Court as of December 31, 2020, with its caseload to be transitioned to the Lake County courts. Two weeks before that date, the judge of the Town Court, Eugene Velazco, Jr., sued to stop the closure, claiming that the Town Council didn’t follow state law in adopting the closure ordinance. In January 2021, the trial court granted a preliminary injunction keeping the Town Court open until the case could be heard on the merits.