Bridges announces candidacy for judge

Denny Bridges

Local attorney Denny Bridges has announced his campaign for the office of Judge of the Putnam Superior Court on the Republican ticket in the May primary.

Bridges, who was born and raised in Putnam County, resides in Greencastle with his wife Tracy and children Carter, Carmen and Charlie. His grown son, Jeremiah and wife Natalie, and their three sons, also reside in Greencastle.

After 27 years as an Indiana State Trooper, he retired and opened his law office in Greencastle. During his police tenure, he was assigned to the Lowell Post and served as a trooper, undercover agent and detective. The majority of the time he investigated violent crimes such as homicide, rape and robbery. His last assignment was at the Putnamville Post as chief of detectives, where he supervised investigations for the district.

A graduate of Greencastle High School, Bridges completed his undergraduate work at Concordia University-Wisconsin, with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. It was during his last assignment with the Indiana State Police that he attended Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, from which he received his doctor of jurisprudence degree.

Bridges' private practice is concentrated in family and criminal law. He is also a part-time public defender, assigned to the Putnam Superior Court, and is an administrative law judge for the State of Indiana. His duty in that capacity is presiding over firearms permit revocation hearings.

He was the recipient of the first Judge Frances Hamilton Scholarship Award for students planning to return to Putnam County to practice law. He is a member of the Greencastle Elks and Rotary Clubs, the Nature Conservancy, and is currently president of the Putnam County Bar Association.

The Putnam County Superior Court handles approximately 7,000 cases a year, with the majority of the caseload in the areas of criminal, traffic and family law, as well as small claims cases.

Bridges states, "I believe that my past experience, between the state police and my private practice, will be an asset on the bench. It provides me with a unique perspective to apply a common sense approach to the law, both compassionately and firmly when needed.

"For the better part of my adult life," he continues, "I have been serving the citizens of the State of Indiana, and I would very much like to continue that service to the citizens of Putnam County. Through­out my professional career, I have always admired a fair and efficient judiciary. It is my desire to uphold and continue the high standards Putnam County has come to expect the last several years in the Putnam Superior Court."