News Archive

Professor James W. Torke retired this year after 34 years of teaching at the law school. A constitutional law scholar recognized for his teaching excellence, Professor Torke was the Carl M. Gray Professor of Law. He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin, then served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edward J. Devitt, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota.

After practicing law in Minneapolis, Professor Torke joined our faculty in 1971. He served as acting associate dean for academic affairs from 1986-1988 and was an academic visitor at Oxford University.

The principal author of Indiana Pleading and Practice, (with former IU law professor Ken Stroud) Professor Torke also has written numerous law journal articles, as well as the text, Man the Rulemaker: An Introduction to Law and The American Legal System, that has been used by the Indianapolis Public Schools for teaching law to high school students. An accomplished and well-loved teacher, Professor Torke is a six-time recipient of the Black Cane Award.

Students in Professor Jim Torke’s Civil Procedure class created the “Official Torke T-Shirt” to be worn on the day of the final exam (see photo). The shirt sported a photo of Professor Torke on the front and a variety of "Torke-isms" on the back. Among them: "Join us again next week, when we will be unlocking more mysteries of the Erie Doctrine," "Do you read Shakespeare? That's okay--the answer isn't in Shakespeare," and "There will be no class next week. I will be out of town on a highly dangerous and secret mission." That’s all folks.