Chief Justice Rush highlights 'direct and transformative' impact of Indiana courts

Chief Justice Loretta Rush sought to “demystify” the Indiana court system’s impact on Hoosiers’ lives in her 2025 State of the Judiciary address.

Rush noted that more cases were filed in state trial courts last year than in all federal courts in the country combined.

Rush’s focus was on aspects of the justice system with a “direct and transformative impact” — notably, problem-solving courts, such as drug, veterans and family recovery courts.

“Temple University published an independent study last year that found 93 percent of treatment court graduates were not rearrested,” Rush said.
 

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 765-275-1120. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues.
 

Rush emphasized work to improve court efficiency, including exploring emerging technologies. One court is using AI to produce vital transcripts.

“Where it used to take weeks or months, at great cost, to get a record, they’ve reduced it to minutes,” Rush said. “You heard me: minutes, instead of months.”

And Rush highlighted ways the courts aim to protect children and families, including the first significant changes to child support guidelines in more than three decades.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.