Indiana
Indiana’s highest court is the Indiana Supreme Court. The court has four associate justices and one chief justice, who is selected by a judicial nominating commission. (Source: Indiana Constitution)
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints a candidate to the Indiana Supreme Court from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least two years on the court, a justice may stand in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of Indiana’s next general election. Justices serve 10-year terms, and they may seek additional terms in the same retention process. The governor fills an interim vacancy by appointing a candidate chosen from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 75.
State Constitution
Indiana has had two constitutions adopted in 1816 and 1851. As of January 1, 2026, it had 50 amendments. (Data on file with John Dinan, Wake Forest University.)
Filters
Religious Freedom Claims Could Provide New Path to Protect Abortion Rights
Challenges to abortion bans by religious plaintiffs have had mixed results.
Fines, Fees, and Bail in State Courts
Recent state supreme court cases, including a major California ruling last week, address the burden of court-imposed financial obligations on criminal defendants.
How Are State Judges Selected?
Thirty-eight states use elections as part of their system for choosing high court judges.
Behind the Movement Toward Humane Punishment
A recent Pennsylvania decision barring mandatory life without parole for felony murder is part of an accelerating trend toward broad state constitutional protections for people in the criminal justice system.
Barriers to Rights Protections and Collateral Consequences
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
Closing Remarks
Transcript of panel from Symposium: State Constitutions and the Limits of Criminal Punishments
The Tenacious Power of Constitutional Torts
Despite hurdles, civil rights litigation is a critical tool for people who have been harmed by the government and for those seeking long-lasting change.
Who’s Hiring State Supreme Court Clerks?
State-by-state information to aid law students and young attorneys in securing a state clerkship.