FORT WAYNE, IND. (WOWO) Allen County Superior Court Judge Fran Gull has announced plans to retire at the end of 2026, concluding nearly 30 years on the bench.

Gull said she will step down December 31, 2026, and will not seek re-election because she would not serve a full six-year term. She described her time serving as a criminal court judge as an honor.

According to the Associated Press, Gull was first elected to the Allen Superior Court in 1996 following the retirement of Judge Philip R. Thieme. She went on to win four additional elections without opposition.

During her tenure, Gull led the Allen Superior Court Drug Court Program and played a key role in launching the county’s first Joint Veterans’ Treatment Court in 2013. Those programs focus on treatment and rehabilitation as alternatives to traditional prosecution.

Although retiring from her full-time judicial role, Gull said she plans to continue serving as a senior judge, with an emphasis on treatment courts.

Her retirement will open a seat on the Allen Superior Court bench at the end of next year.