Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announced Thursday that defense attorney Mark Chargualaf has been appointed as judge for Porter Superior Court 6 in Portage.
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He takes the seat held by Jeffrey Thode, who received certification as a senior judge from the Indiana Supreme Court last month. Thode has presided over the court since 1995 and was re-elected to another six-year term in 2024.
“I am deeply humbled, honored and grateful to Gov. Mike Braun for appointing me as judge of Porter County Superior Court 6,” Chargualaf said in a release from the governor’s office. “I sincerely appreciate the confidence he has placed in me to serve the citizens of Porter County in this important role. I look forward to upholding the rule of law with integrity, fairness, and respect for all who appear before the court. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve our community and the State of Indiana in this capacity.”
Chargualaf, according to the release, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gonzaga University in 2006 and a Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law in 2012. He was admitted to the Indiana Bar in October 2012.
Chargualaf has extensive courtroom experience as a public defender in Porter, Lake, Starke, and Pulaski counties, where he has managed large and diverse caseloads ranging from misdemeanors to high felonies and probation revocation matters.
He has also served as a judge pro tempore in the Lake Superior Court Felony Division, Merrillville Town Court, and the Porter Circuit and Superior Courts, presiding over pretrial conferences, contested hearings, and bench trials.
Gov. Braun also announced the appointment of Olivia Faddis as Randolph Superior Court judge.