Courts in Indiana

In Indiana, there are two federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.

Click a link for information about that court type.

• Federal courts
• State supreme court
• State court of appeals
• Trial courts

The image below depicts the flow of cases through Indiana's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.

The structure of Indiana's state court system.

Judicial selection process[edit]

See also: Judicial selection in Indiana

The five justices of the Indiana Supreme Court and the 15 judges of the Indiana Court of Appeals are selected through the assisted appointment method. After their appointment, judges of the Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Court of Appeals stand for retention at the first even-year, statewide general election after they have served two full years. Subsequent terms are 10 years. When a vacancy occurs on one of the courts, the Commission on Judicial Qualifications provides the names of three nominees to the governor, who must then select a judge from that list.^[1][2]

The 318 judges of the Indiana Circuit Courts and the Indiana Superior Courts are generally chosen through partisan elections, though some exceptions exist. Judges are elected to six-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to serve additional terms. To learn more about these elections, visit the Indiana judicial elections page.^[1][3]

To read more about judicial elections in Indiana, click here.

Federal courts[edit]

The federal district courts in Indiana are the:

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Appeals go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.^[4]

Active judges[edit]

Northern district[edit]

The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

• Democrat appointed: 2
• Republican appointed: 3

Southern district[edit]

The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

• Democrat appointed: 2
• Republican appointed: 2

District map[edit]

Judicial selection[edit]

Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.

Bankruptcy courts[edit]

There are two federal bankruptcy courts in Indiana. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in Indiana are:

• United States bankruptcy court, Northern District of Indiana
• United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of Indiana

State supreme court[edit]

See also: Indiana Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state. The court has original jurisdiction over admission to the practice of law, discipline and disbarment of attorneys, the discipline, removal, and retirement of justices and judges; supervision of other courts' jurisdiction and issuance of related 'writs for those courts' jurisdiction, and over the unauthorized practice of law. The court also hears appeals in cases where the judgment includes a death sentence or a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, in cases for post-conviction relief where the death sentence was imposed, in cases involving waivers of parental consent to abortion, in cases where a state or federal statute has been declared unconstitutional, and related to lower court orders mandating funds. The court may review decisions made by the Indiana Court of Appeals or the Indiana Tax Court.^[5][6]

The following judges sit on the court:

State court of appeals[edit]

See also: Indiana Court of Appeals

The Indiana Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in the state. It hears appeals from the state's trial courts and some state agencies. The court's decisions are final unless the Indiana Supreme Court grants appellate review. The Court of Appeals hears cases in three-judge panels and each panel holds statewide state jurisdiction.^[7]

The following judges sit on the court:

Trial courts[edit]

Indiana Circuit Courts[edit]

See also: Indiana Circuit Courts

The Circuit Courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state.^[3]

Indiana Superior Courts[edit]

See also: Indiana Superior Courts

The superior courts are also general jurisdiction trial courts within the state.^[3]

St. Joseph County Probate Court, Indiana[edit]

See also: St. Joseph County Probate Court, Indiana

There is one Probate Court in St. Joseph County. It is the only one of its kind in the state.^[3]

Courts of limited jurisdiction[edit]

• The Indiana Municipal Courts are created by municipalities (cities and towns) and have jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances, misdemeanors, infractions, and traffic matters.^[3]

• There is one Small Claims Court in Marion County. This is only one of its kind in the state.^[3]

• The Tax Court holds exclusive jurisdiction over any case arising under the state's tax laws and that is an initial appeal of a final determination made by the Indiana Department of State Revenue or the Indiana Board of Tax Review. The court also holds jurisdiction over certain appeals from the Department of Local Government Finance.^[3][8]

In other states[edit]

See also[edit]

• Judicial selection in Indiana
• Indiana judicial elections

External links[edit]

• Search Google News for this topic
• Indiana Judiciary

Footnotes[edit]

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