Former Kosciusko County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mark E. Caruso has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Superior Court II judge. Caruso attended Indiana University School of Law, graduating in 1992. While a student, he was employed as an intern in the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office felony division, and upon graduation was the clerk for Judge Patricia Gifford, in Marion Superior Criminal Court. Caruso served as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Kosciusko County from 1997 through the end of 2002. Prior to moving to Kosciusko County in 1998, Caruso was a deputy prosecuting attorney in Starke County, handling misdemeanors, sex crimes and other felony cases. He served as the public defender for Kosciusko County Superior Court III from 2003 through the end of 2006. Subsequently he worked as a deputy prosecutor in Allen County, where he was misdemeanor section chief for more than a year. Caruso also has worked as a public defender in Pulaski, Whitley and Allen counties, and currently is a public defender in Superior Court III of Kosciusko County, working from his Warsaw office. “During my first four years in Kosciusko County, I spent every working day in Superior Court II, so I am extremely familiar with the way the court runs,” Caruso said. “Having worked in Allen County’s high volume courts, I have seen how other counties address several of the concerns I have heard from the local bar association, such as waiving initial hearings, conditional discharges, no contact orders in domestic violence cases and ease of scheduling,” he said. “As the majority of Superior Court II’s caseload is traffic infractions and misdemeanors, it is often a person’s first time in court, which can be quite an intimidating experience. I believe whichever candidate wins the election, he should have the goal of working with the local bar association, the prosecutor’s office, the clerk, the probation department and the court staff to ensure an even more ‘user friendly’ environment for the citizens we serve.” In addition to his experience as a deputy prosecutor and defense attorney, Caruso also has assisted in instructing Fort Wayne Police trainees and Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department reserve officers. Caruso often serves as a judge pro tempore in civil matters in Superior Court III. Caruso co-founded the Warsaw boys and girls high school rugby program in 2002, and is currently coaching the boys club. He is the treasurer of the Indiana Rugby Referees Society and president of the Youth Rugby Development Corporation of Northern Indiana. Caruso is also a member of the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club.
