Paul Stanko | South Bend Criminal Defense Lawyer

Paul Stanko was born and raised in a steel town in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  Both of his grandfathers were coal miners and his father was a steelworker.  During college and law school, Paul worked summers in steel mills and warehouses to support himself.  Paul has a deep and life-long respect for hard-working people, good people, like his clients, who are facing a bad situation.

Paul Stanko has practiced Indiana criminal law since January 1979, when, at the age of 23, he became a deputy prosecutor.  In 1985, at the age of 30, he became a presiding judge of the Superior Court of Lake County, one of Indiana's busiest courts.  When he returned to private practice in 1992, Paul decided to devote himself to the defense of persons accused of drunk driving, drug and other crimes.  Paul has also taught Constitutional Law and other criminal justice courses (some of which he created) at the university level.  He has been either a prosecutor, judge or criminal defense attorney his entire career.

Paul serves every client PERSONALLY: no associates; no paralegals; no legal assistants; no investigators.

Paul's practice is devoted to the defense of those accused of drunk driving, drug possession, and other offenses throughout north central and northwest Indiana. From his South Bend office, he serves clients with criminal cases in St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall, Kosciusko, and surrounding counties. From his Crown Point office, he serves counties along the I-65 corridor, including Lake, Jasper and Tippecanoe counties. Besides drunk driving and drug law defense, he handles other criminal cases, including felony and misdemeanor charges.

Paul is honored to serve as a member of the Board of Governors and Historian of the American Judges Association, as well as chairman of the Retired/Senior Judges Committee and member of the Membership and Conference Site committees of that organization.

Paul is also a proud member of the NORML Legal Committee and the National Rifle Association, and a life-long civil libertarian and defender of the Bill of Rights.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Governor	American Judges Association	Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee	September 2009 – Present
Owner	Law Offices of Paul Stanko	South Bend and Crown Point	September 1992 – Present
Adjunct Professor	Indiana University Northwest	Indiana	1997 – 2008
Judge	Superior Court of Lake County	Lake County	July 1985 – September 1992

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Valparaiso University School of Law	Doctor of Jurisprudence	Law School	1978
National Judicial College	Special Courts Course		1986
Duquesne University	B.A.	History	1976

State / Court	Date
Indiana	1979

• -Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
  
  -American Judges Association
  
  -NORML Legal Committee
  
  -Phi Alpha Theta National History Honorary Society
  
  -Indiana Bar Association

• -Nation's Top One Percent | National Association of Distinguished Counsel
  
  -10 Best for Client Satisfaction | American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys
  
  -Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers-Indiana | American Society of Legal Advocates
  
  -Nationally Ranked Top 10 Attorney Award | National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys
  
  -Top 100 Lawyers | American Society of Legal Advocates
  
  -Top 100 DUI Attorneys-Indiana | National Advocacy for DUI Defense
  
  -Top 100 Trial Lawyers | The National Trial Lawyers
  
  -Adjunct Professor of the Year | Indiana University Northwest
  
  -Outstanding Young Men of America | US Jaycees
  
  -Outstanding Senior Award | Alpha Phi Omega-Pi Chi Chapter
  
  -Senior Award | Duquesne University
  

• P______ v. State -Practice Area: Criminal defense -Outcome: Not Guilty on all charges -Description: Client was subjected to a late night "knock and talk" which resulted in a supposedly consential search and criminal charges. After electing to waive trial by jury and go to bench trial, hearing on our motion to suppress evidence and bench trial were consolidated into one hearing. Landis v. State -Practice Area: Criminal defense -Outcome: Indiana Court of Appeals and Supreme Court reversed conviction. On remand, we obtained a dismissal of charge. -Description: Defendant had been convicted of felony Stalking based upon evidence at trial which included proof of prior stalking conviction. Trial counsel had objected to the evidence of prior conviction, but judge overruled objection, evidence was admitted, and conviction resulted. I took over on appeal and argued for reversal of conviction due to admission of this evidence.

• -ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE SUPREME COURT | Schmerber v. California (Article)
  
  -ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE SUPREME COURT | Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart (Article)
  
  -Computer Software | Instant OWI: Just Add Clients

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