James Payne

For more than a century, there has been a tradition of maintaining confidentiality in the juvenile and family courts, where abuse, neglect, juvenile delinquency, and even paternity cases are held. In various forms, virtually every county or jurisdiction in every state has a specific court or judge designated to hear issues related to children and families.

James Payne led the dependency and juvenile courts in Marion County, Ind., for 20 years, and then left to help former Gov. Mitch Daniels overhaul the state’s child welfare agency. He is now with the Public Consulting Group (PCG), which provides financial and operational assistance to the public sector agencies involved in education, child welfare and a host of other issues.