Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Supreme Court has appointed two temporary judges to hear cases in Clark County while two of its circuit court judges recover from a shooting incident that took place in Indianapolis last week.
Senior Judge Steven M. Fleece will serve in Clark Circuit Court 1 in place of Judge Andrew Adams, who will be “temporarily unable to perform the duty of his office effective immediately” according to a Thursday order.
Fleece will begin his duties in Clark Circuit Court 1 effective May 14.
Similarly, another Thursday order appoints Senior Judge Kenneth L. Lopp to serve pro tempore in Clark Circuit Court 2 in place of Judge Bradley Jacobs. Lopp will began his duties in the court effective May 13.
Both judges will serve pro tempore until Adams or Jacobs inform the court that they will be able to resume the duties of their offices, respectively, or until further notice of the court.
Adams and Jacobs were in Indianapolis for the Spring Judicial Conference hosted by the Indiana Supreme Court on May 1 when they were shot outside a White Castle restaurant in downtown Indianapolis after a disturbance at a nearby bar. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the shooting and are scheduled to appear in court Friday morning.
Both judges were wounded during the incident, and Jacobs was initially listed in critical condition. However, both Adams and Jacobs have improved.
The Indiana Supreme Court’s Office of Judicial Administration worked with Clark County Presiding Judge Vicki Carmichael to ensure the continued operations of Clark Circuit Courts 1 and 2.
According to the Indiana Supreme Court, Clark Circuit 1 disposed of 5,097 cases in 2018, while Clark Circuit 2 disposed of 3,173 cases.
Clark County traditionally has one of the busiest dockets in Indiana. In 2018, the county had eight regularly assigned judicial officers but needed 10.43, according to the 2018 Weighted Caseload Measures.
Fleece and Lopp will be compensated at the same rate as a regular judge at the start of their effective dates.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.