Civilian judges hear arguments at Nuremberg Trials.

The Indiana Supreme Court Legal History Lecture Series will host a free CLE event highlighting the experiences of Curtis Shake and Frank Richman, both former justices of the Indiana Supreme Court, who served as civilian judges at the post-World War II Nuremberg trials. 

The free CLE will be held on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 in the House Chambers and will focus on Indiana’s connections to the Nuremberg trials. 

Curtis Shake (Indiana Supreme Court, 1938-1945) was named the presiding judge over what’s now known as the Farben case.  Farben, one of the largest chemical companies in the world, was charged with allegations of slavery and mass murder arising from its production of synthetic rubber at a site adjacent to the German concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland.  Frank Richman (Indiana Supreme Court, 1941-1946) served on a Nuremberg tribunal that charged Friedrich Flick, one of the richest men in Germany, and five of his business associates with the use of slave labor and spoliation of evidence.

Speakers will include Ms. Suzanne Bellamy, Esquire, and Professor Frances Quigley.  Ms. Bellamy recently completed a large research project on Justices Shake and Richman to be showcased in two forthcoming articles in Traces Magazine of Midwestern History. Professor Quigley is an adjunct professor at the IU School of Law--Indianapolis in the International Law program, former executive director of the Indiana ACLU, and the current Operations Director for the IU-Kenya Partnership.  Dr. Quigley will provide a brief overview of recent tribal unrest in Kenya.

The free CLE will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 in the House Chambers.  It will be webcast live* at http://www.ihets.org/webmedia/asx/house/live.asx.  Archived viewing will be available after March 27 from the Court’s webpage.

The event is free and open to the public.  Reservations are still being accepted, but seating is limited.  Please email shachey@courts.state.in.us to reserve a seat.  Light refreshments will follow. 

1.3 CLE credit hours have been approved for this program.  The CLE number is 109089.

For more information, please contact Dr. Elizabeth R. Osborn, Assistant to the Chief Justice for Court History and Public Education at 317.232.2550 or her assistant at shachey@courts.state.in.us.

*Those viewing the event webcast will not receive CLE credit.