Supreme Court creates Office of Judicial Administration

The Indiana Supreme Court announced Wednesday it is creating a single Office of Judicial Administration in an effort to improve its internal governance.

Currently, court administration is handled by the Division of State Court Administration and the Division of Supreme Court Administration. The Supreme Court Administration Division is responsible for the day-to-day fiscal administration of the court, assists in preparation of the court’s budget and produces legal memoranda on various topics to assist the Supreme Court, among other duties. The Division of State Court Administration’s duties include oversight of administrative systems used by all the courts, collecting information on judicial workload, and certifying court programs and initiatives.

Under the new Office of Judicial Administration will be a chief administrative officer and a fiscal officer. The court is accepting applications for both positions and expects to fill those jobs by summer. Longtime Division of State Court Administrative Executive Director Lilia Judson is the acting as interim CAO and plans to retire after facilitating a transition to the new CAO.

The CAO will be responsible for the efficient administration of all agencies that operate under the direction of the chief justice and the Supreme Court. The fiscal officer will supervise and manage the court’s fiscal staff, direct and manage the preparation of budgets and manage payment claims for judicial funds.

The changes come after an evaluation by the National Center for State Courts conducted at the court’s request to evaluate its procedures and structure. The result is a plan with a single administrative office and enhanced communication, clarification of staff responsibilities, documentation of institutional knowledge, and a plan for the succession of key personnel.

For more information on the chief administrative officer and financial officer positions and to apply, visit http://www.in.gov/judiciary/2621.htm.