Judge John T. Sharpnack

Watch the Retirement Ceremony

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Judge John T. Sharpnack will retire from the Indiana Court of Appeals in a ceremony in the Supreme Court courtroom at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2008.  Chief Judge John G. Baker will preside.  Judge Sharpnack’s family, colleagues, former law clerks, and special guests will attend the ceremony, followed by a reception.  (Seating is by invitation, but the media is welcome to cover the event.)

Judge Sharpnack, appointed by Governor Evan Bayh in January 1991, served more than 17 years.  He reaches the constitutionally-mandated retirement age of 75 on May 7th, and his last day on the court will be May 3, 2008.  He will continue to serve the citizens of Indiana as a senior judge beginning May 5th. 

Judge Sharpnack, who was retained on the Court of Appeals by election in 1994and 2004, served as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals from September 9, 1992 to December 31, 2001.  During his tenure as Chief Judge, the court created a motions panel to rule on motions made prior to a case being fully briefed; initiated a rotating panel system for deciding cases; and started a senior judge program for the Court of Appeals.  Case closure rates markedly improved following these innovations.

Before joining the court, Judge Sharpnack maintained a private practice of law as a partner at Sharpnack, Bigley, David and Rumple, the Columbus (Indiana) firm founded by his grandfather.  Earlier, following graduation from law school in 1960, Judge Sharpnack joined the Honor Graduate Program at the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC as an attorney, where he served until 1963. 

A native of Columbus, Indiana, Judge Sharpnack grew up in West Virginia, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and Cincinnati.  He served for three years in the United States Army, from 1955 to 1957.  He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Arts and Science and his law degree from UC’s College of Law, where he was also Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. 

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.  

The 15 judges of the Indiana Court of Appeals issue more than 2,800 written opinions each year, sitting in panels of three.  For more information, see the Court’s website, http://www.in.gov/judiciary/appeals/.

Governor Mitch Daniels selected Judge Elaine B. Brown of the Dubois Superior Court to take Judge Sharpnack’s seat on the court.