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Solicitor General

The Solicitor General is the chief litigation policy advisor to the attorney general, providing comprehensive oversight of state and federal litigation for Indiana. The solicitor general also:

  • Handles specific cases involving constitutional challenges
  • Pursues cases with issues of vital interest to the state government
  • Makes recommendations to the attorney general on the state’s participation in filing amicus curiae briefs (friend of the court briefs)
  • Consults with the Appellate Division to determine which civil cases the state should appeal and the appropriate legal position to pursue

Solicitor General James Barta

James Barta serves as Solicitor General. In this role, he handles constitutional challenges and other litigation of vital importance to state interests. Previously, he served within the office as Deputy Solicitor General, practiced at a nationally recognized litigation boutique, and taught at Georgetown University Law Center. He clerked for Judge Raymond M. Kethledge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.


Deputy Attorney General Melinda Holmes

Melinda Holmes has been a Deputy Attorney General in the Solicitor General Division since August 2021. Before joining OAG, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Michael S. Kanne on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School where she was a managing senior editor on the Notre Dame Law Review and a research assistant for the Honorable Kenneth F. Ripple.



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