Few positions in the United States can rival the power held by a judge.
With just one order or statement, they can completely transform the lives of people who enter their courtrooms – for better or for worse.
However, county (and some state) judges must answer to the citizens they serve, and that accountability comes from elections.
During the May 8 primary election, voters registered as Democrats and Republicans will decide who will represent their party in the fall campaign for seats in the courts of Marion County.
“We live in a big, populous county where a lot of business is transacted and the lives of many people are affected by what takes place in court,” said Scott Chinn, president of the Indianapolis Bar Association (IndyBar). “Having a well functioning judiciary is critical to the citizens, businesses, homeowners and everyone who operates in our big city world.”
The terms of 20 Marion County Superior Court judges will expire this year, and most are running for re-election, with a few primary challenges. To keep the system fair, Democrats and Republicans will be able to nominate 10 candidates each.
Judges are elected to preside over various civil, criminal, juvenile and traffic courts within the Marion County judicial system.
Selecting the best candidates to serve as judges is important, but many voters are not sure how to begin. Unlike candidates running for high profile offices such as governor, Congress or the General Assembly, people campaigning to be judges are usually more difficult to evaluate.
“It can be hard to find out a lot about judges, and the judiciary is the branch of government that people often know the least about,” Chinn said. “Not a lot of information is out there, and compiling the court records of each judge or candidate would probably be an exhausting process.”
To help voters make their decisions, IndyBar offers ratings of incumbent judges running for reelection and new judicial candidates. In every election since 2004, ratings have been posted on the website, www.indyjudges.org.
Candidates are evaluated on elements such as ethics, experience, impartiality and correctness in applying the law.
“Any voter can look at our website, get a sense of what the bar thinks of them and easily compare the candidates,” Chinn said.
Judicial ratings are based on the results of surveys conducted by the IndyBar’s bipartisan Judicial Excellence Political Action Committee (JEPAC). In January, JEPAC sent survey questions to over 4,000 lawyers who have appeared before existing judges on the ballot, or served with candidates running to fill judicial seats.
“The ratings are from people who have had substantial professional contact with the judges or candidates,” Chinn said.
The Democratic and Republican parties in Marion County both have endorsed, or “slated,” judges and candidates running in the judicial primary election.
“The endorsed judges have spent a great deal of time talking to and working with activists in the party,” said Adam Kirsch, executive director of the Marion County Democratic Party. “The precinct committee people and ward chairs took their responsibility in making these recommendations very seriously, and selected the most talented and fair group of judges.”
Democrats have endorsed current judges Linda Brown, Thomas Carroll, Steven Eichholtz, John Hanley, Grant Hawkins, , Becky Pierson-Treacy, Jose Salinas and Heather Welch, as well as candidate John Chavis.
Former Marion County Assessor Greg Bowes and Mark King are Democrats, who are running for a judicial nomination against the party’s slate.
Republicans have endorsed current judges Robert Altice Jr., Lisa Borges, Sheila Carlisle, Michael Keele, William Nelson, and Clark Rogers, as well as candidates Clayton Graham, Amy Jones, Jim Joven and Helen Marchal.
Candidates Paul Ogden and Carol Orbison are running for a judicial nomination against the Republican party’s slate.
“Judicial offices are not always easy to judge, and the benefit of having endorsed candidates is that the party does a lot of homework on these people as well as interviews, background checks and meetings to get a good impression on where they stand,” said Byron Carpenter, executive director of the Marion County Republican Party. “We have a kind of vetting process that makes it easier for voters to support the most qualified candidates.”
The local court system is losing one of its African-American judges – Republican Reuben Hill is not seeking re-election. The Republicans are replacing him with prominent African American attorney Clayton Graham, while another well known attorney, John Chavis, has been endorsed by Democrats.
The Marion County Libertarian Party, which doesn’t have a primary, will likely nominate judicial candidates during its convention next month.
Chinn, Kirsch and Carpenter agreed that making sure voters understand the choices they have is crucial to helping Marion County have a good judicial system.
“When citizens take a little time to educate themselves on this process and the election, they can make informed choices,” Chinn said. “It’s a positive thing for them and our community.”
