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Marion County Superior Court, Indiana
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| Trial courts and judges |
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The Marion County Superior Court resides in Indiana. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1][2]
| “ | Sec. 1.5. All standard superior courts have: (1) original and concurrent jurisdiction in all civil cases and in all criminal cases; (2) original and concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts in all user fee cases; (3) de novo appellate jurisdiction of appeals from city and town courts; and (4) in Marion County, de novo appellate jurisdiction of appeals from township small claims courts established under IC 33-34.[3] |
” |
| “ | Sec. 2. All superior courts have: (1) original and concurrent jurisdiction in all civil cases and in all criminal cases; (2) original and concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts in all user fee cases; (3) de novo appellate jurisdiction of appeals from city and town courts; and (4) in Marion County, de novo appellate jurisdiction of appeals from township small claims courts established under IC 33-34.[3] |
” |
Judges
Elections
Indiana is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Indiana, click here.
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2025
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Indiana local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Indiana judicial elections, 2014
- Indiana judicial elections, 2012
- Indiana judicial elections, 2010
Selection method
- See also: Judicial selection in the states
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The 196 judges of the Indiana Superior Courts are generally chosen in an identical manner. Judges are elected in partisan elections to six-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to serve additional terms.[4]
Some exceptions apply:
- Superior court judges from Allen County are chosen in nonpartisan elections.
- Superior court judges from the counties of Lake, Marion, and St. Joseph are appointed by the governor from lists of potential candidates submitted by the local nominating commissions (this excludes judges of Lake County's county division superior court, who must be elected). Judges then stand for retention in the first general election taking place two or more years after their appointment.[4]
Qualifications
Though some counties have imposed additional qualifications, a judge serving on these courts must at least be:
- a circuit resident and
- admitted to practice law in the state.[4]
Judicial elections in Indiana
- See also: Indiana judicial elections
Indiana is one of eight states that use partisan elections to initially select judges and then use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
Primary election
In the primary, most candidates for the trial courts compete in partisan elections.
Exceptions are:
- Circuit court candidates in Vanderburgh County run in nonpartisan elections.
- Superior court candidates in Allen and Vanderburgh counties compete in nonpartisan elections.
- Judges in Lake and St. Joseph counties are appointed by the Governor and stand for retention two years into service and at the end of subsequent terms.[5]
- When a superior court vacancy occurs in Marion County, candidates are reviewed by a 14-member judicial selection committee, which sends the names of three nominees to the governor. The governor must appoint one of the nominees as judge within 60 days. At the end of a judge's term on the court, the question of the judge's retention may be placed on the general election ballot. Before a judge can stand for retention, the judge must appear before the committee to allow the committee to issue a recommendation to voters regarding the judge's suitability to continue to hold office.[6]
General election
Superior court judges in Lake and St. Joseph Counties stand for retention. All other trial court judges compete in contested races.[5][7]
If a vacancy occurs mid-term on the Indiana Supreme Court or Indiana Court of Appeals, the governor makes an appointment from names supplied by the judicial nominating commission. Vacancies on the circuit and superior courts are filled by direct governor appointment. Appointed judges must then run in the next general election, or the next general election after two years in office for supreme and appellate appointees.[7]
Unopposed candidates
If there is no contest for a judicial seat in either the primary or general election, the candidates for that seat are not placed on the primary ballot. Candidates who are unopposed in the primary, however, must still appear on the primary ballot if there is any opposition for the seat by any other party.[8]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 2022 Indiana Code, "Title 33. Courts and Court Officers Article 29. Superior Courts Chapter 1. Provisions Concerning Standard Superior Courts 33-29-1-1.5. Jurisdiction," accessed May 11, 2023
- ↑ 2022 Indiana Code, "Title 33. Courts and Court Officers Article 29. Superior Courts Chapter 1.5. Jurisdiction of Nonstandard Superior Courts 33-29-1.5-2. Jurisdiction," accessed May 11, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Indiana," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 American Judicature Society, "Judicial Selection in the States: Indiana," accessed August 29, 2017
- ↑ Indiana General Assembly, "House Bill 1036," accessed January 5, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Indiana," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Indiana General Assembly, "Indiana Code, Title 3, Article 10, Chapter 1, Section 5(a)," accessed March 21, 2014
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Indiana, Southern District of Indiana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Indiana, Southern District of Indiana
State courts:
Indiana Supreme Court • Indiana Court of Appeals • Indiana Tax Court • Indiana Superior Courts • Indiana Circuit Courts • Indiana City Courts • Indiana County Courts • Indiana Municipal Courts • Indiana Small Claims Courts • St. Joseph County Probate Court • Indiana Town Courts
State resources:
Courts in Indiana • Indiana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Indiana
