Robert P. Harper was born in Gary, Indiana and is a lifetime resident of Northwest Indiana, he has lived in Valparaiso for the last 35 years.
Bob graduated from Ball State University in 1963 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. After teaching for two years at Myers Elementary School in Portage, Indiana, Bob returned to school to pursue an education in law. He attended Valparaiso University School of Law and graduated in 1968. In 1971 Bob was elected Portage City Judge where he served until 1974, at which time he was elected to the Office of Porter County Prosecuting Attorney.
Bob returned to the private practice of law in 1978 and has continually practiced law in Porter County for more than thirty years. Bob has handled some of Northwest Indiana and Porter County's most complicated and high profile Criminal Defense and Personal Injury cases:
STRIP CLUB TARGETED IN DUI DEATH SUIT; DEJA VU ACCUSED OF OVERSERVING CUSTOMER: Posted: Thursday, December 23, 2004 12:00 am |
VALPARAISO | A civil lawsuit accuses the operators of the Deja Vu strip club in Lake Station of contributing to a fatal drunk driving accident by serving too much alcohol to the accused driver.
The suit, filed on behalf of the deceased, Orvilla Gerhardt, claims the strip club violated state law by serving alcohol to Jonathan Gaskill, 27, when it knew or should have known he was drunk. This negligence by the club resulted in Gaskill driving drunk and then striking and killing Gerhardt Aug. 28 as the 82-year-old was retrieving her morning newspaper near her home at County Road 294 West 500 North.
The suit seeks an unspecified amount of money. The owner of Deja Vu was unavailable for comment. Attorney Robert Harper filed the suit on behalf of Gerhardt's estate. Harper said he is pursuing the suit under what are known as dram shop liability laws. These laws hold alcohol servers responsible for harm intoxicated patrons cause.
In the meantime, Gaskill faces 12 criminal counts stemming from the accident, including reckless homicide, various drunken driving charges, marijuana charges and possession of paraphernalia. The Culver resident is set to stand trial Feb. 7 before Porter Superior Judge Bill Alexa.
BOOKKEEPER ESCAPES JAIL TIME: VALPARAISO; Posted: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 12:00 am |
VALPARAISO | Jacqueline Lissey escaped jail time, but was ordered Monday to pay back $24,010 she stole while working as an in-house accountant for the local White Lumber Co. Porter Superior Judge Bill Alexa told Lissey to pay back the money at a rate of $1,330 a month over 18 months of formal probation.
Lissey, who went by her married name of Olis at the time of the offense, faced between six months and three years behind bars when found guilty of felony theft by a jury in October. She appeared in court Monday with attorney Robert Harper. A key piece of evidence used by prosecutors was an agreement Lissey signed for the company acknowledging her misuse of the funds and her willingness to pay the money back.
Lissey said during the trial she signed the document out of fear. She said she did nothing wrong, but was afraid her husband would learn about a six-year affair she claimed to have had with former employer James "Ken" White. White denied the affair. The state temporarily suspended Lissey's accounting license following her conviction, pending a full hearing. Harper thinks that hearing has not taken place.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob has been a partner at Harper and Rogers since its founding, well over 25 years ago. Bob has six children and nine grandchildren, many of whom live in Porter County. Bob lives with his wife in Valparaiso and since 2003 he has served as Porter County Commissioner representing Center Township.
bob@harperandrogers.com.