Job opening: Indiana Supreme Court justice

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Lawyers interested in becoming the next justice on the Indiana Supreme Court have until Jan. 27 to apply for the opening created by Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard’s upcoming retirement.

The Judicial Nominating Commission will interview and select the 107th Indiana Supreme Court justice within the next couple of months. The seven-member commission has outlined the timetable for how the nomination process will proceed.

Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. Jan. 27, 2012. Candidates must be an Indiana resident and have either practiced law for at least 10 years or been an Indiana judge for five years. The annual salary with allowances is $156,295.

The chief justice, who announced in early December his plans to retire from the bench March 4, encouraged the legal community to step forward and apply for the post.

“Indiana lawyers and judges of all backgrounds, in all corners of our state, should strongly consider this remarkable public service opportunity,” Shepard said in a statement. “The Commission needs our best and brightest to come forward and make their talents available for the judicial branch and the people of Indiana.”

This is the second time in the past two years that the Indiana Supreme Court has had an opening. In 2010, Justice Ted Boehm left the court and 34 lawyers and judges applied for the position. The governor selected then-Boone Circuit Judge Steven David to join the court.

Eleven completed applications and an electronic copy must be delivered to the commission's office at 30 S. Meridian Street, Suite 500, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. Applications and information about the process are available online.

The commission will interview applicants for the justice position Feb 8-10. A second round of interviews will be held Feb. 22-23. At that time, Shepard, as chair of the commission, will participate in the interview and voting process with the six other members to provide three names to the governor.

After the new justice is selected, the Judicial Nominating Commission will select the state’s next chief justice from those members on the court, including the newest appointed person. The court’s next senior justice, Brent Dickson, will become interim chief justice after Shepard steps down.

 

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