Indiana Chief Justice says courts will stay away from legislative standoff

March 28, 2011

Indiana: Like the stalemate that affected the Wisconsin State Legislature earlier this year, the Indiana State Legislature has been deadlocked for more than a month. Many Democrats in the State House left for Illinois in February to avoid voting on proposed legislation deemed anti-labor. In a speech, Chief Justice Randall Shepard said that this state business does not involve the courts, reminding listeners that a two-thirds majority is a constitutional requirement. It would not be possible to challenge it on legal grounds. Also, Shepard does not believe that the courts would get involved if the deadlock prevented the legislature from redrawing boundaries in the state. To read more about redistricting in Indiana, check out Ballotpedia's coverage.