(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte woman with a long history of working in the courts has been honored by a group of local attorneys.

 

Jackie Dermody received the Liberty Bell award, which is given annually by the La Porte County Bar Association.  The award is presented to people who do things to promote a better understanding of the rule of the law and encourage great respect for the law.

 

Currently, Dermody is CEO at Family Advocates, a group involved with the courts in protecting children and working to reunite them with their families.  Dermody is also a former juvenile and adult probation officer in La Porte Circuit Court.  She spoke about the law during a brief speech after presented with the award on Friday.

 

“It protects our community.  It resolves disputes.  It protects our civil rights and it promotes social order and without it, we’re in a free fall.  Contrary to what people may think, it’s the best system there is and it’s the one that we have,” she said.

 

Dermody is the daughter of Jim Arnold and granddaughter of the late Cliff Arnold, who both served as La Porte County Sheriff for two terms.  The Arnolds' also served at the Indiana Statehouse with Jim as state senator and Cliff as state representative.

 

“I’ve always respected the rule of law.  I grew up with it,” she said.

 

She’s also the wife of La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody.