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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowTwelve Hoosier lawyers and judges have applied to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Court of Appeals of Indiana that will be left by Judge Derek Molter when he joins the Indiana Supreme Court next month.
The deadline for eligible judges and lawyers to apply for the position was noon on Friday. All candidates are Indiana residents living in the 2nd Appellate District who have been members of the Indiana bar for at least 10 years or served as an Indiana judge for at least five years.
Individuals who applied include:
- Brad A. Catlin of Williams & Piatt LLC
- Judge Stephen R. Creason, Marion Circuit Court
- Andrew R. Falk of the Indiana Public Defender Commission
- Judge Paul A. Felix, Hamilton Circuit Court
- Judge Ryan K. Gardner, Marion Superior Court
- Judge Jennifer P. Harrison, Marion Superior Court
- Carol N. Joven of Williams & Piatt LLC
- Judge Dana J. Kenworthy, Grant Superior Court
- Judge Marc T. Rothenberg, Marion Superior Court
- Zachary J. Stock of Zachary J. Stock Attorney At Law P.C.
- Judge Lisa L. Swaim, Cass Superior Court
- Paul C. Sweeney of Ice Miller LLP
The seven-member Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission will consider the applicants. Chaired by Indiana Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush, the commission includes three lawyers elected by their peers and three citizen members appointed by the governor.
The commission will hold public interviews of qualified candidates, deliberate in an executive session and hold a public vote to send the three most qualified names to the governor. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb will then have 60 days to select Indiana’s next Court of Appeals judge.
Molter, who joined the Court of Appeals in October 2021, was tapped by Eric Holcomb last month to be Indiana’s 111th Indiana Supreme Court justice.
A retirement ceremony will be held for retiring Justice Steven David on August 30, one day before he officially retires from the high court. Molter will be sworn in on September 1, with a ceremonial swearing-to follow at a later date.
Another vacancy is set to be filled on the appellate bench to fill the spot left by Judge Edward W. Najam Jr., who will retire this summer. The JNC selected three finalists last month and Holcomb has until Sept. 16 to chose Najam’s successor.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed Paul Sweeney’s place of employment. He is with Ice Miller LLP.
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