News Archive

On Saturday, April 9th, the law school’s Alumni Association presented former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Jon D. Krahulik, ‘69 with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award (DASA) during the annual Law Reunion Weekend at Inlow Hall. (Pictured at left are Justice Dickson, Professor Susanah Mead and Jon Krahulik)

Indiana Supreme Court Associate Justice Brent Dickson, ’68, a friend and former colleague, gave a tribute to Krahulik who served as an Associate Justice from 1990 to 1993, authoring more than 140 majority opinions. “Jon Krahulik is a remarkable alumnus who is known for the breadth of his professionalism, the enormity of his physical accomplishments and the grace of his humanity,” Justice Dickson said. Dickson cited Krahulik’s spearheading of efforts to draft a code of rules of evidence in the state of Indiana, as well as the many “landmark” decisions his friend authored during his brief but prolific tenure at the Supreme Court. One case inparticular, Web v. Jarvis, has been cited 367 times by other courts to date. In Justice Dickson’s words, Jon Krahulik was “always trying to forge collective solutions, always a team player.”

Krahulik’s accomplishments outside the field of law have been equally as impressive. An avid sportsman, he trained for and competed in the Ironman Triathalon in Hawaii. He has also waged a successful battle against cancer in recent years and continues to face that challenge.

In his acceptance remarks, Krahulik lauded the excellent education he received at the law school and fondly remembered Dean Foust’s “Wrongs” course (a combination of criminal law and torts) as well as the “gut-wrenching fear” of attending Professor Jegen’s tax class, and finally the “genius” of Prof. Grimes trusts & estates class. He said the law school also holds a special place in his heart because it has educated two of his sons (David C. Krahulik, ‘93 and Sam D. Krahulik, ‘01) as well as his daughter-in-law (Angela Krahulik, ’01).

He concluded by saying that the law school had made a significant contribution to the growth in size and importance of the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus and that the university was one of Indianapolis’ best assets. “IUPUI is as much a boon to the city of Indianapolis as the city is a boon to the campus.” Krahulik concluded that the law school’s momentum will undoubtedly make it “a preeminent law school.”

Krahulik received an A.B. in History from Indiana University in 1965 and a J.D. cum laude, from Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis in 1969. He served as an adjunct professor of law at his alma mater in the Fall of 1992 and Spring of 2000, teaching Indiana Constitutional Law.

He began his legal career at Baker & Daniels (1969-71) in Indianapolis. He then moved on to Bingham Summers Welsh & Spilman (1971-1990) serving as an associate, partner and managing partner, concentrating on litigation and appellate practice. After leaving the Indiana Supreme Court in 1993 he went on to become President and Chief Operating Officer of Chemed Corporation in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1994 he became a partner in Yosha, Krahulik and Levy, engaging in representing plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits involving professional liability, general negligence and product liability. Since 2003, he has been semi-retired with law practice limited to mediation, arbitration, and limited representation of select clients.

Krahulik served as counsel to Governor Evan Bayh's transition team in 1988 and Governor Bayh’s Government Review Task Force in 1989-1990. He was a member of the Indiana Lawyers Commission, a group which studied and recommended changes in the Indiana criminal justice system, from approximately 1974 to 1979. He is currently a member of the Arthur Jordan YMCA Board of Managers, a Commissioner on the Indiana Lobbying Registration Commission, and a member of the Indiana University School of Law Board of Visitors since 1993.