John Mathews Stuckey

During his begining tenure with Stuart and Branigan, John Stuckey was assigned my law suit against Tioga Pines Living Center. I was a single mother, with custody of a young daughter, who had been required by the management of the nursing facility to work off of the clock to perform my duties, subs...equently terminated when my position was combined with another position in a further gambit to save money by the administrator. Although evidence was available showing the administrator had, in her own hand, changed my time card, as well as there being documentation papers in patient's charts that accurately showed the times I was working, this was not an easy case to take to trial. The initial apposing attorney was Stephen Buyer, prior to his election as an Indiana State Congressman. Although my claim was initially filed in small claims court, Buyer requested and was granted a trial by jury. The principal owner of the facility was a larger contributor to the White County Republican party, with both Buyer and the presiding judge being major players in the local Republican party as well. No one considered my suit would have much of a chance to be successful, with one exception ~ John Stuckey. As my attorney, if he had any doubts, he never showed them to me. He was very clear about what I could expect in deposition, in court, and showed the jury an earnest young attorney who believed in his client and in the merits of the case. Due to his skill in questioning witnesses, after five days in court, the jury voted in my favor, by unanmious vote. Even more surprising was the ruling by Judge Roth that the court fees and all attorney costs were to be paid by Tioga Pines Living Center. My understanding is this verdict and finding caused huge ripples in the political community at the time. I would highly recommend John Stucky as a principled, trustworthy and honest man who is still, after all of these years, earnestly interested in his clients and seeing them through the sometimes bewildering court process. I have watched his career over the years with interest and never found him to waver from my inital, first high opinion of his skills, not merely as an attorney, but also as an outstanding individual. I am pleased to have the opprotunity to let others know of his long term principles, honor, and integrity as an attorney and as a member of his community in his chosen profession.