Derek Molter

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Derek Molter
Image of Derek Molter
Indiana Supreme Court
Tenure

2022 - Present

Term ends

2034

Years in position

3

Prior offices
Indiana Court of Appeals 2nd District

Compensation

Base salary

$221,024

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 5, 2024

Appointed

June 10, 2022

Contact

Derek Molter is a judge of the Indiana Supreme Court. He assumed office on September 1, 2022. His current term ends on December 31, 2034.

Molter ran for re-election for judge of the Indiana Supreme Court. He won in the retention election on November 5, 2024.

Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) appointed Molter to the Indiana Supreme Court on June 10, 2022, to replace Steven David.[1] To learn more about this appointment, click here.

Biography

Molter earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and his J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.[2]

Following graduation, Molter served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Theresa Springmann, United States District Court Judge for the Northern District of Indiana. He then practiced at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP in Washington D.C. In 2013, he joined Ice Miller LLP as an associate and later became a partner.[2]

Elections

2024

See also:  Indiana Supreme Court elections, 2024

Indiana Supreme Court, Derek Molter's seat

Derek Molter was retained to the Indiana Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 69.6% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
Yes
 
69.6
 
1,571,882
No
 
30.4
 
687,028
Total Votes
2,258,910


Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Molter in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Derek Molter did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

Ballotpedia currently provides campaign finance data for all federal- and state-level candidates from 2020 and later. We are continuously working to expand our data to include prior elections. That information will be published here as we acquire it. If you would like to help us provide this data, please consider donating to Ballotpedia.

Appointments

See also: Indiana Supreme Court justice vacancy (August 2022)

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (R) appointed Derek Molter to the Indiana Supreme Court on June 10, 2022. Molter succeeded Steven David, who retired on August 31, 2022. Molter was Gov. Holcomb's second nominee to the five-member court.

At the time of the vacancy under Indiana law, midterm vacancies were filled through gubernatorial appointment. The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission would provide the names of three nominees to the governor, who then would select a justice from that list.[3][4]

State supreme court judicial selection in Indiana

See also: Judicial selection in Indiana

The five justices on the Indiana Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission is responsible for providing the names of three nominees to the governor, who must then select a justice from that list.[5][4] The commission is made up of six voting members from the three geographic districts covered by the Indiana Court of Appeals. Members include three attorneys, elected by attorneys in their respective geographic districts, and three non-attorneys, appointed by the governor. The chief justice or his or her designee serves as an ex officio member of the commission.[4]

Justices serve at least two years following their initial appointment. They must stand for retention at the first statewide general election to remain in office. If retained, justices serve a ten-year term and must stand for retention every ten years after that point to remain in office.[6]

Qualifications

To serve on this court, a judge must be:

  • a U.S. citizen;
  • an Indiana resident;
  • admitted to practice law in the state for at least 10 years or have served as a trial court judge for at least five years; and
  • under the age of 75 (retirement at 75 is mandatory).[5]

Chief Justice

The chief justice is selected by the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission from the members of the supreme court and serves a five-year term.[4] In the event of a vacancy, the justice with the longest tenure on the supreme court serves as acting chief justice until the nominating commission fills the position.[4]

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the position is filled as it normally would be had the vacancy occurred at the end of a justice's term. The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission provides the names of three nominees to the governor, who must then select a justice from that list.[5][4] The new appointee serves at least two years following his or her initial appointment and must stand for retention at the first statewide general election to remain in office.[6] The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.


See also

Indiana Judicial Selection More Courts
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Courts in Indiana
Indiana Court of Appeals
Indiana Supreme Court
Elections: 202520242023202220212020201920182017
Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in Indiana
Federal courts
State courts
Local courts

External links

Footnotes