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, 2024, it had 49 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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Iowa Supreme Court Allows Six-Week Abortion Ban to Take Effect
The court’s stance on reproductive health has shifted dramatically since 2018, when it held that abortion was a fundamental right under the state constitution.
Judicial Deference to Agency Expertise in the States
Almost all state courts recognize the importance of agencies’ expertise in policymaking.
SCOTUS Allows Emergency Abortions in Idaho — For Now
Litigation over exceptions to abortion bans to preserve the life and health of pregnant people is also pending in multiple state courts.
SCOTUS’s 2nd Amendment Decision Leaves Open Questions for State Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the disarmament of a domestic abuser in United States v. Rahimi, but litigation over where to draw the line will continue.
Three U.S. Supreme Court Cases that Transformed State Judicial Elections
Judicial elections have become major political battlegrounds — complete with dark money, special interests, and attack ads — thanks to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
A Conversation with Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush of the Indiana Supreme Court
The chief justice talked about the Indiana’s lawyer shortage and the importance of judges getting out into their communities.
Every State Supreme Court Justice in One Searchable Database
A new resource from the State Law Research Initiative lets users sort the nation’s high court justices by state, professional background, party affiliation, and more.
Texas Supreme Court to Determine Scope of ‘Medical Emergency’ Exceptions to Abortion Bans
The plaintiffs include 20 women who were denied abortion care and two doctors who say Texas’s abortion bans prevent them from meeting their ethical obligations.