Power & Influence. Julie Cantrell - Judge

When people first meet Julie Cantrell they are amazed to learn she is a Lake

Superior Court judge.

"They look at me and see a woman who is young, pretty, blonde and little,"

said Cantrell, 31, who was married in July. "But I explain to them that I

demand attention."

Cantrell was elected to the bench in 1996 at the age of 28. She remains the

youngest judge in Indiana.

During her campaign, her opponents challenged her qualifications because of her

age. It did not matter that she worked for the Lake County prosecutor's office

for three years and had a conviction rate of more than 90 percent.

"I get a lot of people saying 'How do you think you can do this?' ... I explain

to them it is not the years, but what you do with it. It is your enthusiasm and

the efforts to do things that is important - not your age. The truth is we need

to bring more youth into elected offices and into government. It helps promote

change."

Cantrell decided to become a judge because she wanted to do something

different, but did not feel the need want to go into private law. The elections

were approaching and a friend encouraged her to run. At first Cantrell laughed

at the idea, but the more she thought about it and consulted her peers, she

realized it was worth pursuing.

Cantrell first thought of a career in law while in high school. She had the

acting bug and was enrolled in speech and debate classes.

"I figured I could take my talents in to the courtroom," said Cantrell, who has

a law degree from the University of Tulsa.

Today Cantrell travels throughout the county to speak to students, particularly

those in high school.

"I do see myself as a role model ... I encourage young people to realize they

can do anything they want to do."