Former Tippecanoe County judge sworn in to her Ind. Supreme Court spot

INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) - Hundreds gathered at the Statehouse Friday as Gov. Mitch Daniels swore in a former Tippecanoe County juvenile judge to the state's Supreme Court, making her the second woman ever to serve on Indiana’s Supreme Court. 

Justice Loretta Rush says she was humbled by today's ceremony and says she's looking forward to her new journey serving the people of Indiana.

Dozens of familiar faces from Tippecanoe County filled the Indiana State House Friday morning, all to honor a woman who many describe as “remarkable.”

"She's great. Just a wonderful choice,” State Representative Sheila Klinker said.

"I think it was a superb choice and I'm really glad to have been able to work with her all of these years,” Tippecanoe County Superior Court Judge Tom Busch said.

Friday morning, nearly 300 family members, friends and officials joined together as Daniels swore in Justice Rush to the Indiana Supreme Court.

She's the first woman to sit on the bench since 1999. Rush says she couldn't have done it without the support from her family and the community.

"I really felt like they circled around me, hoisted me up and helped bring me here,” Rush said. “The community support has just been fantastic."

"I'm just so proud of her,” Rush’s daughter Mary said. “I can't believe all the people who came out here."

"I always had faith that she had a really great chance, just because with what everybody told me about how she works, I just knew that she was great at what she did,” Rush’s other daughter, Sarah, said.

Daniels appointed Rush in September to serve as the 108th justice on the Supreme Court after she spent 14 years as a juvenile court judge in Tippecanoe County. Daniels says he didn't have to think twice about his decision.

“Because of the way she worked with us to protect children, because of her tremendous preparation and such a long legal career and the respect she obviously had from other judges and admirers all over the state, it was pretty straightforward at the end," Daniels said.

"It was overwhelming. I'm just very grateful," Rush said.

Rush says while she'll miss the children and families she served in Tippecanoe County, she's humbled by her opportunity to serve the people of Indiana at the state level.