Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr., who chairs the St. Joseph Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission, announced today that the Commission will meet to begin the process of selecting a new superior court judge.  Judge William T. Means has announced that he will retire on September 30, 2008, leaving a vacancy on the St. Joseph Superior Court.

“State law requires that the Judicial Nominating Commission nominate five candidates for appointment to the St. Joseph Superior Court when a vacancy arises,” Justice Sullivan said.  “The final appointment is made by the Governor.  Under the statute, only attorneys who live in St. Joseph County are eligible to be considered by the Commission for nomination.”

Justice Sullivan said that the Nominating Commission will meet on Wednesday, June 11, at 9:30 a.m. in the St. Joseph County Courthouse, to establish a schedule and procedure for taking applications from attorneys interested in being considered for nomination.  No further information on application deadlines or procedures will be available until that time.

The Indiana General Assembly established the seven-member Nominating Commission in 1973.  Three of the members must be lawyers elected by St. Joseph County lawyers.  Three must be non-lawyers appointed by a committee that includes the St. Joseph Circuit Judge, the mayors of South Bend and Mishawaka, and the president of the board of the St. Joseph County commissioners.  The seventh member, who serves as the chair, must be a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court or a Court of Appeals judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.