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)
Filters
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
Scholarship Roundup: End of Semester Edition
Recent articles address states taking policy questions away from courts, standing in election cases, and state shadow dockets.
The Sorry State of Disclosure for State Supreme Court Justices
A new study reveals that disclosures by state supreme court justices are frequently hard to access and lack relevant financial information.
Interpretive Methods in State Constitutional Law
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Unpacking the Legal Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
The vast majority of cases aiming to remove Trump from the ballot have been dismissed, but without deciding whether he’s eligible to hold the presidency.
Mapping State Supreme Court Abortion Rights Decisions
A new tool from the Center for Reproductive Rights tracks abortion-related state constitutional developments across the country.
A Conversation About Abortion Rights and the Future of State Constitutions
A retired state supreme court justice, a reproductive rights scholar, and the director of the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program discuss the role of state courts after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that there is no federal constitutional right to abortion.
Texas and the Next Generation of Abortion Fights
Kate Cox sought an emergency abortion after learning her fetus has a fatal genetic condition. Her case illustrates an emerging set of battles to define the scope of legal exceptions to strict state abortion bans.