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Indiana Supreme Court
| Indiana Supreme Court |
|---|
|
| Court Information |
| Justices: 5 |
| Founded: 1816 |
| Location: Indianapolis |
| Salary |
| Associates: $221,024[1] |
| Judicial Selection |
| Method: Assisted appointment (Hybrid) |
| Term: 2 or 10 years[2] |
| Active justices |
| Christopher M. Goff, Mark S. Massa, Derek Molter, Loretta H. Rush, Geoffrey Slaughter |
Founded in 1816, the Indiana Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has five judgeships. The current chief of the court is Loretta H. Rush.
As of August 2021, all five judges on the court were appointed by a Republican governor.
Indiana has a Republican state government trifecta. A trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and majorities in both state legislative chambers. As of December 7, 2025, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 14 Democratic trifectas, and 13 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control.
In the 2020 election, Republicans had a net gain of two trifectas and two states under divided government became trifectas. Prior to that election, Indiana had a Republican trifecta. There were 21 Republican trifectas, 15 Democratic trifectas, and 14 divided governments.
Jurisdiction
The Indiana Supreme Court reviews decisions of the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Tax Court. The Supreme Court also has the power to review and revise sentences imposed by lower courts.[3]
The supreme court also has mandatory jurisdiction over the following types of cases:
- appeals where a person received a sentence of death or life in prison;
- appeals where a state trial court has declared a statute passed by the legislature is unconstitutional. This means these types of cases are not first heard by the Indiana Court of Appeals but go directly to the supreme court.[3]
The court has original, exclusive jurisdiction over the following:
- admitting attorneys to the practice of law in the state;
- discipline and disbarment of lawyers;
- unauthorized practice of law in the state;
- discipline, removal, and retirement of judges;
- supervising the exercise of jurisdiction by other courts;
- issuance of writs necessary in aid of its jurisdiction;
- appeals denied after a conviction and requested post-conviction relief where there was a death sentence;
- on petition, cases involving substantial questions of law, great public importance, or emergency.[3]
Justices
The table below lists the current judges of the Indiana Supreme Court and the appointing governor.
| Judge | Appointed By |
|---|---|
Judicial selection
Indiana Supreme Court justices are chosen using a Missouri Plan or merit selection system. A list of three nominees is submitted by the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission to the governor. If the governor fails to choose a new justice within 60 days, the chief justice or the acting chief justice must do so. The appointed justice serves for two years and then must stand for retention by voters statewide in the next general election if he or she wishes to serve a full ten-year term.
Retention
Newly appointed justices on the court must stand for retention after serving for two years in office. Thereafter, justices must stand for retention every 10 years, in the year their terms are set to expire.[4]
Qualifications
A candidate for the supreme court bench must have practiced law in Indiana for at least ten years or have served as a trial court judge for at least five. The judicial nominating commission chooses candidates based on many considerations: legal education and writings, reputation in the legal community, physical health, financial interests, and public service contributions. Public Law 427, in 1971, created the guidelines for choosing a highly qualified person.[5] The mandatory retirement age for justices on the supreme court and all other courts in Indiana is 75.
Chief justice
The same judicial nominating commission also selects the chief justice of the court. Once selected, the chief serves for a term of five years. The chief justice may be selected to serve additional terms. When the position of chief justice becomes vacant, the most senior member of the court serves as the acting chief justice until a new chief justice is appointed.[4]
The chief justice is responsible for hiring administrators to help run the court. The chief provides regular updates throughout the year in a report known as the "State of the Judiciary".[3]
Elections and appointments
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.[6][7] 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.[7]
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.[8]
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).[6]
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.[7] 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.[7]
Vacancies
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.[6][7] 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.[8] The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
2020
- See also: Indiana Supreme Court elections, 2020
The term of one Indiana Supreme Court justice expired on December 31, 2020. The one seat was up for retention election on November 3, 2020.
Judges with expiring terms
Candidates and results
Goff's seat
Indiana Supreme Court, Christopher M. Goff
Christopher M. Goff was retained to the Indiana Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 76.4% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
76.4
|
1,740,922 | ||
No |
23.6
|
536,791 | |||
Total Votes |
2,277,713 | ||||
|
|
2018
- See also: Indiana Supreme Court elections, 2018
Candidates and results
Slaughter's seat
Indiana Supreme Court, Geoffrey Slaughter's seat
Geoffrey Slaughter was retained to the Indiana Supreme Court on November 6, 2018 with 72.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
72.3
|
1,246,183 | ||
No |
27.7
|
476,882 | |||
Total Votes |
1,723,065 | ||||
|
|
- Election history, 2012-2014 (click to expand)
2014
RetentionJudge Election Vote Mark S. Massa 67.3% 
Loretta H. Rush 69.0% 2012
Judge Incumbency Retention vote Retention Vote % Robert Rucker 
Yes 71.4% Steven David (Indiana) Yes 68.9%
Caseloads
The table below details the number of cases filed with the court and the number of dispositions (decisions) the court reached in each year.
| Indiana Supreme Court caseload data | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Filings | Dispositions |
| 2019 | 869 | 869 |
| 2018 | 845 | 851 |
| 2017 | 885 | 879 |
| 2016 | 847 | 900 |
| 2015 | 945 | 977 |
| 2014 | 995 | 970 |
| 2013 | 1,012 | 1,005 |
| 2012 | 1,020 | 1,095 |
| 2011 | 1,095 | 1,037 |
| 2010 | 1,029 | 920 |
| 2009 | 1,140 | 1,163 |
| 2008 | 1,217 | 1,200 |
| 2007 | 1,065 | 1,096 |
Noteworthy cases
The following are noteworthy cases heard before the Indiana Supreme Court. For a full list of opinions published by the court, click here. Know of a case we should cover here? Let us know by emailing us.
| • State v. Laselle | Click for summary→ |
|---|---|
|
When Indiana was a territory, slavery was legal until 1787. At that time, the Northwest Ordinance banned the expansion of slavery in the Northwest Territory of the United States. However, any people who were slaves before the ordinance was enacted could continue to be held as such. When Indiana was granted statehood in 1816, slavery was banned completely. However, there continued to be some confusion in the courts as to whether any people who were held as slaves before the laws changed could continue to be kept as such. Lower courts in the states denied or approved freedom for slaves on a case-by-case basis. In 1819, two abolitionists brought this case to test the laws regarding slavery for those slaves who had been held before 1816. The plaintiff, Polly, had been a slave before Indiana became a state. The lower court ruled that Polly should remain a slave. The case was appealed to the state supreme court, where attorneys representing Polly argued that the state's constitution should take precedence over any other laws. The court held that slavery was "entirely prohibited within the State of Indiana," according to the state constitution. As a result, all slaves in the state were freed, including those who had been slaves before Indiana joined the United States. | |
Political outlook
In October 2012, political science professors Adam Bonica and Michael Woodruff of Stanford University attempted to determine the partisan outlook of state supreme court justices in their paper, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns." A score above 0 indicated a more conservative-leaning ideology while scores below 0 were more liberal. The state Supreme Court of Indiana was given a campaign finance score (CFscore), which was calculated for judges in October 2012. At that time, Indiana received a score of 0.01. Based on the justices selected, Indiana was the 24th most conservative court. The study was based on data from campaign contributions by judges themselves, the partisan leaning of contributors to the judges, or—in the absence of elections—the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice but rather an academic gauge of various factors.[9]
History of the court
- 1970: Voters approved an amendment to the state's constitution that almost completely revised the section of the 1851 constitution regarding the courts. Per the amendment, judges on the supreme court and court of appeals would no longer be elected. Instead, the governor, would make appointments to the courts based upon the recommendations of a judicial nominating committee. The amendment also included the current rules on retention elections for judges and specified that judges serving on the supreme court should be called justices instead of judges.
- 1925: The state government was moved to Indianapolis and the state supreme court was housed in the Indiana State House.
- 1891: To reduce the caseload of the state supreme court, the general assembly created an appellate court. However, the appellate court's jurisdiction was limited to appeals on "certain minor classes of cases."[10]
- 1851: The state adopted a new constitution in 1851, and responsibility for selecting supreme court judges was shifted from the governor to voters. Judges serving on the supreme court were chosen in elections and served six-year terms. The number of judges sitting on the court also increased from three to five.
- 1817: The first supreme court convened at Corydon, located in southern Indiana near the Ohio River, with three judges, who were appointed by the governor. The court's first session was held on May 5, and the court's first judges were appointed to seven-year terms.
- 1816: Prior to becoming a state, Indiana was part of the Indiana Territory (along with Illinois and Ohio). The first court in the Indiana Territory was the general court, with three judges who were appointed by the governor of the Indiana Territory. These judges, along with the governor, created the territory's laws. When Indiana became a state in 1816, the supreme court was created from the Indiana Territory General Court.[3]
Noteworthy firsts
- Isaac N. Blackford was the longest-serving justice on the court. He served from September 10, 1817, until January 3, 1853.
- William H. Coombs served the shortest term on the bench. His 30-day term lasted from December 2, 1882, through January 1, 1883.[11]
- Justice Myra Consetta Selby was the first woman and the first African-American justice to serve on the court. She served from January 4th, 1995, to October 7th, 1999.[12]
Courts in Indiana
In addition to the federal courts in Indiana, there are two types of appellate courts, two general jurisdiction trial courts, and three limited jurisdiction trial courts. Their infrastructure and relationship are detailed in the section below.
The federal district courts in Indiana are the:
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Appeals go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.[13]
Active judges
Northern district
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2003 - |
University of Iowa, 1984 |
Indiana University School of Law, 1987 |
||
| April 16, 2019 - |
Indiana University, Bloomington, 1991 |
Valparaiso University School of Law, 1994 |
||
| July 26, 2019 - |
Wabash College, 1994 |
Indiana University, Bloomington, Maurer School of Law, 1999 |
||
| January 26, 2024 - |
Valparaiso University, 2002 |
University of Notre Dame Law School, 2006 |
||
| January 29, 2024 - |
Butler University |
Valparaiso University |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 2
- Republican appointed: 3
Southern district
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15, 2010 - |
Spelman College, 1981 |
Howard University School of Law, 1984 |
||
| September 13, 2018 - |
United States Naval Academy, 1983 |
University of Notre Dame Law School, 1996 |
||
| November 5, 2018 - |
DePauw University, 1992 |
Valparaiso University School of Law, 1996 |
||
| March 31, 2023 - |
DePauw University, 1990 |
University of Washington School of Law |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 2
- Republican appointed: 2
District map
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There are two federal bankruptcy courts in Indiana. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in Indiana are:
- United States bankruptcy court, Northern District of Indiana
- United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of Indiana
Indiana Circuit Courts
- See also: Indiana Circuit Courts
The Circuit Courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state.[14]
Indiana Superior Courts
- See also: Indiana Superior Courts
The superior courts are also general jurisdiction trial courts within the state.[14]
St. Joseph County Probate Court, Indiana
- See also: St. Joseph County Probate Court, Indiana
There is one Probate Court in St. Joseph County. It is the only one of its kind in the state.[14]
Courts of limited jurisdiction
- The Indiana Municipal Courts are created by municipalities (cities and towns) and have jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances, misdemeanors, infractions, and traffic matters.[14]
- There is one Small Claims Court in Marion County. This is the only one of its kind in the state.[14]
Party control of Indiana state government
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Republicans in Indiana gained a state government trifecta as a result of the 2010 elections when they took control of the state House and retained control of the state Senate and the governor's office. From 1992 to 2017, Republicans held a trifecta for nine years. The table below shows state government trifectas in Indiana from 1992 to 2019.
Indiana Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Seventeen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
State profile
| Demographic data for Indiana | ||
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,612,768 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 35,826 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 9.2% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 6.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 87.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 24.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $49,255 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.4% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Indiana. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Indiana
Indiana voted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Indiana coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Indiana
- United States congressional delegations from Indiana
- Public policy in Indiana
- Endorsers in Indiana
- Indiana fact checks
- More...
See also
External links
- Indiana.gov, "Indiana Supreme Court Official Site," accessed May 21, 2013
- Indiana Courts YouTube Channel, accessed June 8, 2014
- Indianapolis Star, "Hamilton Co. judge among 3 finalists for state Supreme Court vacancy," August 8, 2012
- Press Release "Supreme Court Extends Public Comment Period on Rules Regarding Temporary Admission of Certain Attorneys" April 8, 2011
- Pro Se Guide to Appellate Procedure
- Pro Se Guide to Tax Court Procedure
- Indiana Rules of Court (Current as of 4/2/2008)
- Small Claims Manual (Current as of July 2005) (dead link)
Footnotes
- ↑ The salary of the chief justice may be higher than an associate justice.
- ↑ Following his or her appointment, judges must stand for retention at the first even-year, statewide general election after he or she has served two full years. Subsequent terms are 10 years.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Indiana Judicial Branch, "Appellate Courts: Indiana Supreme Court," accessed June 8, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Indiana," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Judicial Branch, "Indiana Supreme Court, Today's Supreme Court," accessed April 3, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 National Center for State Courts, "Method of Judicial Selection: Indiana," accessed Aug. 23, 2021
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 State of Indiana, "Judicial Nominating Commission Fact Sheet," accessed Aug. 23, 2021
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 State of Indiana, "About the Court," accessed Aug. 23, 2021
- ↑ Stanford University, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns," October 31, 2012
- ↑ Indiana Judicial Branch, "Indiana Supreme Court, History and Origins," accessed April 3, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedlist - ↑ Indiana Judicial Branch, "Indiana Supreme Court, Justice Biographies: Myra Consetta Selby," accessed April 3, 2014
- ↑ Indiana Judiciary, "Federal Court in Indiana"
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedindiag
| ||||||||
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
