Robert P. Harper - Valparaiso, IN

Robert Harper was born and raised in Northwest Indiana.

He was raised on a small farm in South Lake County, IN. While in school he was active in 4-H and he would show cattle he raised at the Lake County Fair each year.

After graduation from Merrillville High School he went to Ball State University. After four (4) years he graduated and was licensed to teach in Indiana.

He taught elementary school in Portage, IN for two (2) years.

He then enrolled in Valparaiso University School of Law. After one semester he was awarded a full tuition scholarship based on his academic achievements.

In 1968 he graduated from law school and went into private practice in Portage, IN.

In 1970 he was elected Judge of the Portage City Court. Three years later he was elected Porter County Prosecutor.

At the end of his term as county prosecutor he elected not to run again and returned to private practice. He has been in private practice ever since.

Over the years he has practiced mainly in the area of personal injury accidents and criminal defense. He has extensive trial experience in both representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases and defendants in criminal cases.

He also was elected to serve as Porter County Commissioner for 8 years. While there he was instrumental establishing Porter County Animal Shelter as a no kill facility and bringing a new modem hospital to the county. He also led the charge in passing the green space ordinance that provides all new county subdivisions shall have in their plan a substantial amount of land set aside for parks and green space.

After leaving the commissioners office, which was a part-time position he has also worked as a part-time public defender for the past 14 years.

He and his wife, Shirley, live in Valparaiso, IN. He has 6 children. Three of his sons are law school graduates that work in the same office. He has a son that lives in Switzerland and has a management position with World Wildlife Federation. He has two daughters, one lives in Porter County and is a dental hygienist and the other lives in Virginia and teaches online classes to students being homeschooled.