The Indiana Court of Appeals today selected John G. Baker as the Court's next Chief Judge, replacing James S. Kirsch, who did not seek another term. Judge Baker's three-year term begins on March 1, 2007.

Judge Baker, a native of Aurora, joined the Court of Appeals on June 2, 1989. He was appointed to the Court by then Governor Evan Bayh. His biographical information is attached.

Judge Baker said the greatest challenges in the next three years will be to manage the Court's increasing caseload and to continue the Court's tradition of disposing of cases in a timely fashion.

The Indiana Court of Appeals is the state's second-highest court. It reviews appeals from trial court decisions; a decision of the Indiana Court of Appeals is final unless granted further review by the Indiana Supreme Court. The majority of appeals filed in Indiana are decided by the Court of Appeals.  

In 2006, the 15-member Court of Appeals issued 2,509 written opinions, sitting in panels of three. For more information, see the Court's website, http://www.in.gov/judiciary/appeals/.

CHIEF JUDGE JOHN G. BAKER
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

John G. Baker is originally from Aurora in Dearborn County and now resides in Boone County. Previously he lived in Monroe County for 35 years. Since June 1989, he has served as a Judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals representing the First District and has authored more than 3,000 majority opinions. Prior to becoming an appellate court judge, he served as county court and superior court judge for 13½ years in Bloomington , disposing of more than 15,000 cases.

Judge Baker graduated from Culver Military Academy and received his A.B. degree from Indiana University in 1968 in History and his J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law -Bloomington in 1971. He received his LLM in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia in 1995. Before assuming the trial bench, he was a partner in the firm of Baker, Barnhart and Andrews in Bloomington and was a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Since 1980, Judge Baker has taught as an adjunct professor at Indiana University 's School of Public and Environmental Affairs and for three years the School of Law in Bloomington. In addition, Judge Baker has served on the faculties of the Indiana Judicial College, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, and the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

His professional associations include the American, Indiana State, Monroe County and Indianapolis Bar Associations. For the latter, he served as Vice-President in 1995. He has been a member of the Indiana Judges Association's Board of Managers continually since 1979 and served as its President from January of 1987 through June of 1989.

Judge Baker has been active in community and civic affairs as well. In addition to his church, YMCA, and other similar organizations, Judge Baker has been active in Boy Scouts of America since his youth and was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout.

Judge Baker, who was retained on the Court by election in 1992 and 2002, lives near Zionsville with his wife, Margaret (Peggy) Paul Baker. They have five children and, so far, four grandchildren.