Indiana

From a pool of 22 applicants, the judicial nominating commission identified ten semi-finalists for a supreme court vacancy, including six women and four men. The commission will narrow the list to three finalists in early August.

Sixteen of the 22 applicants for a supreme court vacancy are women. Indiana is one of three states without a woman on its high court. This will be Governor Daniels’ third appointment to the five-member court.

By a unanimous vote, the judicial nominating commission selected Justice Brent Dickson to serve as chief justice of the supreme court. Dickson had the support of his fellow justices and Governor Daniel.

Justice Frank Sullivan announced his intention to step down by the end of August, allowing Governor Daniels to make his third appointment to the high court. It also presents another opportunity to appoint a woman to the all-male court.

Governor Daniels selected attorney Mark Massa to replace the retiring Randall Shepard on the supreme court. The state judicial nominating commission will choose one of the five sitting justices to replace Shepard as chief justice. Indiana is one of three states with no women justices on the highest court.

The judicial nominating commission conducted final interviews of applicants for the supreme court vacancy created by Chief Justice Randall Shepard’s retirement. Three of the finalists are women, and Indiana is one of three states without a woman on its supreme court.

The state judicial nominating commission submitted the names of two men and one woman to the governor for the vacancy created by Chief Justice Randall Shepard's March retirement. The governor has 60 days to appoint one of the three nominees. Indiana is currently one of three states with no women on its supreme court.

Randall Shepard, currently the longest-serving state chief justice, announced his intention to retire as of March 2012. The judicial nominating commission will screen applicants to fill the supreme court vacancy and send three names to Governor Daniels. The commission will also select the next chief justice.

Diversity may be a factor in filling the vacancy. Indiana is one of only three states with no women justices, and only one justice of color currently serves on the court.

The commission on judicial qualifications admonished a judge for an “injudicious” flyer used in her 2010 campaign. According to the commission, the flyer “likely gave the impression…that the judge’s rulings could be influenced by campaign contributions.”