Applications are being accepted for a forthcoming vacancy on the St. Joseph Superior Court, the Indiana Supreme Court has announced.

Prospective candidates may obtain applications at http://www.in.gov/judiciary/2621.htm. Applications must be submitted to the St. Joseph County clerk by 4:30 p.m. March 8.

The St. Joseph Superior Court Nominating Commission will meet March 18 to interview applicants, according to Supreme Court Justice Mark Massa, who announced the process to replace St. Joseph Superior Judge Michael P. Scopelitis. Scopelitis will retire on June 3.

Applicants must be attorneys domiciled in St. Joseph County.

State law requires the commission to nominate five candidates for appointment to the St. Joseph Superior Court when a vacancy arises. Gov. Mike Pence will appoint one of the five within 60 days of official notice of the commission’s selection of finalists.

Pence is already considering another appointment he must make to that court to fill a vacancy that will exist when Judge Roland W. Chamblee retires March 31. Finalists selected last month to fill that position are: Mary Catherine Andres, St. Joseph deputy prosecuting attorney; attorney Scott Duerring of Duerring Law Offices in South Bend; Andre B. Gammage, managing partner at Berger & Gammage in South Bend; St. Joseph Circuit Court Magistrate Elizabeth C. Hurley; and Jeffrey Lane Sanford, deputy public defender for St. Joseph County and deputy city attorney in South Bend.