Marion County judicial interviews scheduled for Jan. 18

The Marion County Judicial Selection Committee will be interviewing 13 individuals, including six magistrates, two deputy prosecutors and a public defender, for the vacancy created by the impending resignation of Marion Superior Judge Mark Jones.

Selected by Gov. Eric Holcomb in 2018 to succeed Judge Thomas Carroll, Jones was a magistrate  in Marion Circuit Court. He will step down from the bench Jan. 8, 2022.

All the interviews for the vacancy will be conducted Jan. 18, 2022, in the FUSE West conference room on the second floor of the South Tower at Capital Center, 201 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis. The interviews are open to the public but in-person seating will be limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status.

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, Jan.18 (all times listed below are Eastern)
Executive Session
9 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. – Magistrate Eleanor K. Finnell
9:20 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. – Pamela Grant-Taylor
9:40 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Valerie Johnson
Break
10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. – Magistrate Melanie L. Kendrick
10:35 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. – Neal Eggeson, Jr.
10:55 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Traci Cosby
Break
11:30 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. – Charles Miller
11:50 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Magistrate Danielle P. Gaughan
12:10 p.m. – 12:25 p.m. –  Policies and Procedures Discussion (Public Session)
Lunch in Executive Session
1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. – Commissioner Kelly M. Scanlan
1:50 p.m. – 2:10 p.m. – Magistrate Marie L. Kern
2:10 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Magistrate Tara Y. Melton
Break
2:45 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. – Terrance Tharpe
3:05 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. – Gregory Bowes
Break
3:45 p.m. – Executive Session

After all interviews have concluded, the judicial selection committee will deliberate in a private executive session, considering the applicants’ legal education, writings, reputation in the practice of law, and other pertinent information.

The committee will then hold a public vote on the applicants and, in accordance with state law, submit the “three most qualified candidates” to Gov. Eric Holcomb who will then choose one to fill the vacancy.