INDIANAPOLIS – On Friday, March 13, the Marion County Judicial Selection Committee will conduct interviews of sixteen incumbent trial court judges seeking retention.
Indiana Code section 33-33-49-13.8 requires the committee to determine whether each judge is suitable to serve another term and appear on the ballot in 2026 for the Marion County voters to approve or reject retention.
The committee will vote on each judge’s suitability to serve another term after the interviews are concluded. The interviews will be held in the Supreme Court Conference Room (Statehouse 319) at 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Interviews are open to the public with decorum rules in place.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday, March 13 (all times listed below are Eastern)
8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. – Executive Session
9:30 a.m.-9:50 a.m. – Judge Patricia McMath
9:50 a.m.-10:10 a.m. – Judge P.J. Dietrick
10:10 a.m.-10:30 a.m. – Judge James Osborn
10:30 a.m.-10:50 a.m. – Judge Melanie Kendrick
Executive Session
11:10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. – Judge Christina Klineman
11:30 a.m.-11:50 a.m. – Judge Ryan Gardner
11:50 a.m.-12:10 p.m. – Judge Kurt Eisgruber
12:10 p.m.-12:30 p.m. – Judge David Certo
Break for Lunch
Executive Session
1:30 p.m.-1:50 p.m. – Judge A. Richard Blaiklock
1:50 p.m.-2:10 p.m. – Judge Geoffrey Gaither
2:10 p.m.-2:30 p.m. – Judge Angela Davis
2:30 p.m.-2:50 p.m. – Judge Marshelle Broadwell
Executive Session
3:10 p.m.-3:30 p.m. – Judge Marc Rothenberg
3:30 p.m.-3:50 p.m. – Judge Phillip Sheward
3:50 p.m.-4:10 p.m. – Judge Timothy Oakes
4:10 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Judge Gary Miller
Executive Session followed by public vote
After all interviews have concluded, the committee will deliberate in a private executive session to consider candidates for retention as required by Indiana Code section 33-33-49-13.1(q). The executive sessions on March 13 are authorized under Indiana Code section 33-33-49-13.1(q) and Indiana Code section 5-14.1-1.5.
The committee vote will be held publicly following deliberations.
Ultimately, the name of each judge found suitable by the committee will appear on the November ballot for voters to determine whether or not they should each be retained.
Judges who are not found suitable by the committee will not be retained beyond the judge’s current term.
Details on the committee, including membership, are online.
