CARMEL – Putnam County Court Judge James Reitz collapsed in the courtroom Friday and later died at Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel.
Reitz was 57 years old.
County Executive MaryEllen Odell said Reitz was “a cherished member of the Putnam County judiciary and the beloved husband of former long-term Putnam County employee Barbara Reitz.”
Odell said Reitz “was always the person I turned to for support in good times and bad times and his advice was honest and from the heart.”
The judge was a lifelong resident of Putnam County, having graduated from Carmel High School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Mercy College in 1986 and his Juris Doctorate from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1989.
Prior to serving on the bench, he practiced law in the area.
He was active in community service and volunteering, most notably with the Carmel Rotary.
Reitz was an outspoken advocate for addiction recovery and second chances, which is why he was a pioneer for the drug treatment court, which has been credited with saving many lives and families in Putnam County.
Visiting hours will be on Monday, June 17 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Putnam County Training and Operations Center in Carmel. A mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 18 at 10:30 a.m. at St. James the Apostle Church in Carmel.
