Fifteen Competing For Supreme Court Vacancy

The Judicial Nominating Commission just announced it has received 15 applications for the vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Justice Randall Shepard. They include the following candidates:

1. Hon. Robert R. Altice, Jr., Marion Superior Court, Criminal Division 2
2. Hon. Cynthia J. Ayers, Marion Superior Court, Civil Division 4
3. Hon. Cale J. Bradford, Indiana Court of Appeals
4. Hon. Maria D. Granger, Floyd Superior Court 3
5. Mr. Mark S. Massa, Indianapolis
6. Ms. Patricia C. McMath, Indianapolis
7. Hon. Robyn L. Moberly, Marion Superior Court, Civil Division 5
8. Mr. Karl L. Mulvaney, Indianapolis
9. Mr. Rory O’Bryan, Indianapolis
10. Hon. Michael N. Pagano, Lake Superior Court, County Division 3
11. Ms. Mary K. Reeder, Indianapolis
12. Mr. Steven R. Schultz, Columbus
13. Ms. Jane A. Seigel, Indianapolis
14. Mr. Les C. Shively, Evansville
15. Ms. Rebecca A. Trent, West Lafayette

Some of the candidates for the last vacancy filled by Steven David have filed again, including Marion Superior Court Judges Robyn Moberly and Cynthia Ayers and Indianapolis appellate lawyer Karl Mulvaney. Moberly and Mulvaney were among the three finalists recommended by the Commission last year for the seat filled by Justice David. Two former close advisers to Gov. Mitch Daniels, who will ultimately make the choice from among three candidates nominated by the Judicial Nominating Commission, Steven Schultz and Mark Massa, have applied for the position. Both men served as Daniels' chief counsel. Court of Appeals Judge Cale Bradford, who was Daniels first appointee to the appellate courts, is competing for the open position as well. The list of candidates is much smaller than the number of candidates who filed the last time around, 34, which may suggest someone already has an inside track on the appointment.

Marion Superior Court Judge Robert Altice, Jr. is up for re-election this year. He is running to be slated at tomorrow's Marion Co. Republican slating convention. Daniels is likely to have a decision made prior to this year's May primary. If Altice is re-slated and then later appointed to the Supreme Court, the Republicans would be one candidate short assuming nobody other than the slated candidates file to run in the May primary, which is typically the case. The Marion Co. Republican Party would then pick Altice's replacement, who would be guaranteed a seat on the court because all of the Republican and Democratic candidates nominated in the primary automatically win election to the court.

The first round of interviews will take place on February 8th and 9th. The Commission will meet in executive session immediately following the interviews and narrow the list to semi-finalists. On February 22, the Commission will interview the semi-finalists and then recommend three finalists to send to Gov. Daniels for consideration. A new chief justice will probably not be named until after March 4 according to the Commission's press release.