For Immediate Release | October 20, 2023
Applications available for vacancy on Marion Superior Court
The Marion County Judicial Selection Committee is beginning the process of selecting a new superior court judge. Judge Heather A. Welch (Court 1, Civil Division) will retire effective February 2, 2024, creating a vacancy on the Marion Superior Court.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush, Committee Chairperson, and Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert Altice, Jr., Vice Chairperson, announced applications for the vacancy are available online and must be submitted through the Indiana Courts Portal by Tuesday, November 28 at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern).
To be eligible to serve on the Marion Superior Court an applicant must be a resident of Marion County (at the time of the application and throughout the term of office) and be an attorney admitted to the bar of Indiana for at least five years. Additionally, state law prevents more than 52% of the judges in Marion Superior Court from being members of the same political party. See IC 33-33-49-13.4(d).
Following local court rules, the Marion Superior Court Executive Committee has offered any sitting judge the opportunity to transfer courts. If a judicial officer transfers to Court 1, the vacancy will be created in another court; more than one transfer across divisions is possible. If transfers occur and are approved by the Executive Committee, the available position will be posted online.
The Marion County Judicial Selection Committee will meet on Friday, December 15 to interview applicants for the vacancy. Details on the public interviews will be posted online. After the conclusion of interviews and an executive session to consider applicants, the Committee will publicly vote to select a panel of three nominees, to send to Governor Eric Holcomb for appointment. According to Indiana law, the Committee is required to submit to the Governor “the three most qualified candidates” for appointment when a vacancy arises. Details on the Committee, including membership, are online.
Contact
Kathryn Dolan, Chief Public Information Officer
317-234-4722
kathryn.dolan@courts.in.gov