Two magistrates promoted to Marion Superior Court judges

Two magistrates have been promoted to Marion Superior Court judges by Gov. Eric Holcomb.

James Snyder and Tara Melton both have worked as magistrates within the Marion Superior Court system for several years.

Snyder has served as a magistrate judge in the criminal division of the Marion Superior Court since 2015. He mainly handled major felony criminal cases.

Prior to being appointed as a magistrate, Snyder served in the Marion County Public Defenders Office for eight years and spent a year in private practice.

Snyder graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2006 and received his undergraduate degree from Franklin College in 2003.

Tara Melton has served as a magistrate judge in the family relations division since 2021.

Prior to her appointment as a magistrate, Melton served as the director of mediation for Child Advocates Inc. She also served in the Marion County Public Defenders Office for six years. Before joining the public defenders office, Melton maintained a private practice.

Melton moved to the Hoosier state from Florida in 2006. Her practice in Florida focused on a variety of family law cases.

She received her law J.D. from Florida State University College of Law in 1994 and her undergraduate degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1991.

Snyder and Melton will be sworn in as judges on dates to be determined. The two magistrates will succeed Judges John Hanley and Mark Stoner, who both retired in December.

The Marion County Judicial Selection Committee interviewed 27 candidates on Oct. 28 and 29 for the two judicial openings and named three finalists for each of the two positions.

The other finalists were Lawrence Township Small Claims Court Judge Kimberly Bacon, Magistrate Judges Terrance Tharpe, Pauline Beeson and Kathrine Melnick Sahlein.