Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowLongtime Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Michael Barnes has announced he will retire from the appellate court bench on June 1.
Barnes, who serves as a judge from the third district of the Court of Appeals, was appointed to the bench by Gov. Frank O’Bannon in May 2000. He has authored more than 2,800 opinions during his appellate court career.
“I have been honored to serve as a Judge on the Court of Appeals,” Barnes said in a Thursday statement announcing his retirement. “I hope that the decisions we’ve made have positively affected the litigants, the bar, and the citizens of our State. I am grateful to all who have assisted me, and am particularly indebted to the late Governor Frank O’Bannon and Governor Joe Kernan for the confidence they placed in me.”
Aside from his work on the Court of Appeals, Barnes has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and as a bar association and legal organization lecturer. Prior to ascending to the bench, Barnes worked as the St. Joseph County prosecutor and served as president of several associations, including the National District Attorneys Association, the American Research Institute, the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council and the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
“I’ve had two wonderful careers,” Barnes said. “I’m deeply grateful for both of them.”
The appellate judge was honored last year as an Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law Distinguished Barrister. In addition to his legal work, Barnes’ community involvement has included work on the boards of multiple South Bend and St. Joseph County not-for-profit organizations.
He and his wife, Alberta, live in South Bend.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.