Gov. Eric Holcomb to reach 120 judicial appointments before he leaves office

Gov. Eric Holcomb has appointed nearly 30 more judges in his eight years in office than his two predecessors combined appointed in 12 years.

Holcomb’s appointees include more than 100 trial court judges and nearly half of the state’s appellate bench. And he said those decisions are made not just for the short term, but thinking about what the state should be in 10 or 20 years.

“It is the usually hardest decisions I make only because you're reminded how much talent is out there in the legal arena that is willing to serve the public,” Holcomb said.
 

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Chief Justice Loretta Rush said that much turnover is challenging. And she said it reinforces something she’s emphasized leading the judicial branch: the need to ensure judges are well-trained.

“The job of the judiciary is really to treat chaos, sometimes — disputes — and get them resolved so that people can get on with their lives,” Rush said.

Holcomb said appointing so many judges is a part of his legacy that will have a much larger impact than most people realize.

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